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The Thirty-Nine Steps

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Thirty-Nine Steps is here in full — 363 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By John Buchan • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Thirty-Nine Steps

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

Narrator

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.

Chapter VII Reading 1/72

The Thirty-Nine Steps John Buchan

Cover illustration for The Thirty-Nine Steps

Chapter VII

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Thirty-Nine Steps is here in full — 363 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft. It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat. These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch. Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket. I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

The Thirty-Nine Steps

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Thirty-Nine Steps is here in full — 363 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/72 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

Line 2

It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

Line 3

These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

Line 4

Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

Line 5

I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

Learner Dictionary

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.

Shelf noun US /ʃelf/

A flat horizontal plane used to hold books or scrolls in a library.

From this reading “The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.”

All words in this reading · 71

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.

a

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

about

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

accompanied

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

Adventure

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

all

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

and

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

Archaeologist

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

as

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

Bald

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

belt

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

biscuits

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

book

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

boulder

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

business

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

From this reading It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

by

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

coat

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

From this reading It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

cold

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

From this reading It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

deep

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

for

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

From this reading It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

ginger

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

got

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

grew

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

had

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

From this reading It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

half

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

heather

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

hillside

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

I

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

in

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

into

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

It

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

From this reading It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

keeping

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

kind

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

lee

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

little

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

long

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

me

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

money

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

Mr

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

my

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

myself

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

neither

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

From this reading It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

night

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

nor

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

From this reading It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

of

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

off

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

on

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

Only

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

pipe

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

pocket

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

pouch

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

pound

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

Scudder's

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

shelfnounUS /ʃelf/

A flat horizontal plane used to hold books or scrolls in a library.

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

soft

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

some

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

spent

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

supped

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

The

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

These

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

those

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

tobacco

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

trousers

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

From this reading Only my money accompanied me in my belt, and about half a pound of ginger biscuits in my trousers pocket.

Turnbull's

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

waistcoat

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

From this reading It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

warmth

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

was

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

From this reading It was a cold business, for I had neither coat nor waistcoat.

watch

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

were

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

where

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

From this reading The Adventure of the Bald Archaeologist I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, in the lee of a boulder where the heather grew long and soft.

worming

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

From this reading I supped off half those biscuits, and by worming myself deep into the heather got some kind of warmth.

worst

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

From this reading These were in Mr Turnbull’s keeping, as was Scudder’s little book, my watch and—worst of all—my pipe and tobacco pouch.

Chapter 7 of The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan holds 363 sentences, grouped into 73 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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.

What does chapter 7 of The Thirty-Nine Steps contain?

Chapter 7 holds 363 sentences of The Thirty-Nine Steps, unabridged, divided into 73 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 363 sentences, grouped into 73 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.

How do I study chapter 7 of The Thirty-Nine Steps?

Work through the 73 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 73 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.

Can chapter 7 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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.

Questions about reading The Thirty-Nine Steps

Common questions about reading The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Thirty-Nine Steps?

Yes. All 2582 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #558 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Thirty-Nine Steps is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #558, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Thirty-Nine Steps take to read?

About 215 minutes of reading across 517 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Thirty-Nine Steps section by section

How to work through The Thirty-Nine Steps section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 11 chapters of The Thirty-Nine Steps to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Thirty-Nine Steps

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Thirty-Nine Steps, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Cherished: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Thirty-Nine Steps; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Affection: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Thirty-Nine Steps; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Elemental: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Thirty-Nine Steps; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Americans: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Thirty-Nine Steps; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.