Chapter 2 of The Second Mate is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of The Second Mate is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly. Then the quartermaster was gone. Barnes looked at the chronometer. It lacked five minutes of one. "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
Chapter 2 of The Second Mate is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
a feeling of delighted approval and liking
From this reading “Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.”
plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading “"Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.”
fully understood or grasped
From this reading “Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.”
past form of “lack” — be without
From this reading “It lacked five minutes of one.”
an army officer who provides clothing and subsistence for troops
From this reading “Then the quartermaster was gone.”
Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food
From this reading “Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.”
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading “"Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.”
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading “"Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “It lacked five minutes of one.”
take into consideration for exemplifying purposes
In this reading “Barnes looked at the chronometer.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
a feeling of delighted approval and liking
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Barnes looked at the chronometer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barnes looked at the chronometer.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
plural of “bell” — a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
an accurate clock (especially used in navigation)
From this reading Barnes looked at the chronometer.
fully understood or grasped
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading It lacked five minutes of one.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Then the quartermaster was gone.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It lacked five minutes of one.
past form of “lack” — be without
From this reading It lacked five minutes of one.
a soft silver-white univalent element of the alkali metal group; the lightest metal known; occurs in several minerals
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Barnes looked at the chronometer.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading It lacked five minutes of one.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It lacked five minutes of one.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
an army officer who provides clothing and subsistence for troops
From this reading Then the quartermaster was gone.
Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Across the saffron features flitted a look of admiration, for Li Fu comprehended the plan instantly.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the quartermaster was gone.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Then the quartermaster was gone.
change directions as if revolving on a pivot
From this reading "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Two bells won't be struck," he thought, as he swung the wheel.
Chapter 2 of The Second Mate by H. (Henry) Bedford-Jones holds 412 sentences, grouped into 83 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 2 holds 412 sentences of The Second Mate, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of The Second Mate by H. (Henry) Bedford-Jones exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 412 sentences, grouped into 83 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Second Mate by H. (Henry) Bedford-Jones on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1653 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #60796 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #60796, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 137 minutes of reading across 331 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Second Mate section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 4 chapters of The Second Mate to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Second Mate, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
