Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Seventh Man
The Seventh Man

Chapter XXXV · The Empty Cave

Cover illustration for The Seventh Man
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.
Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.
He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.
Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.
One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Seventh Man

Chapter XXXV · The Empty Cave

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.
Line 2
Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.
Line 3
He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.
Line 4
Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.
Line 5
One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.”

Sure noun US /sure/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.”

Toward preposition US /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading “Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.”

All words in this reading · 92

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

Asper

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

assurance

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

attempt

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

back

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

bank

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

Barry

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

brandished

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

child

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

close

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

command

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

covert

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

crossing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

deep

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

distance

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

down

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

down-headed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

edge

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

farther

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

felt

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

Fists

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

gave

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

gestures

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

give

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

green

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

ground

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

guns

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

holsters

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

horses

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

Mark

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

months

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

NotadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

now

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

perfect

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

posse

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

quivering

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

reluctant

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

Retherton

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

river

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

roaring

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

rode

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

safety

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

see

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

sent

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

set

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

shrubbery

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

side

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

slipped

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

surenounUS /sure/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

ten

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

ThroughnounUS /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

troop

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

turned

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

two

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

unreachable

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

up

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

very

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

wade

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

water

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Fists were brandished toward the green covert on the farther side of the river, so close, such an unreachable distance.

whole

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

Wilsonville

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One or two rode their horses down to the very edge of the water, but they gave up the thought and the whole troop turned back toward Wilsonville; even the horses were down-headed.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He was in time to see Mark Retherton give a command with gestures that sent reluctant guns into the holsters.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Not one of that posse would attempt the crossing, he felt, but he slipped back through the shrubbery close to the bank to make sure.

year

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Through ten months of the year a child of ten could wade the Asper but now its deep roaring that set the ground quivering under Barry gave him perfect assurance of safety.