Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Trail of the White Mule
The Trail of the White Mule

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Trail of the White Mule is here in full — 190 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Trail of the White Mule
Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.
And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."
"Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.
"They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.
No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.
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 Trail of the White Mule

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Trail of the White Mule is here in full — 190 sentences across 38 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.
Line 2
And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."
Line 3
"Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.
Line 4
"They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.
Line 5
No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

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.

alkali noun US /ˈælkəlaɪ/

any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water

From this reading “No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.”

cuddled verb US /ˈkʌdəld/

past form of “cuddle” — move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position

From this reading “"They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.”

hubs noun US /hʌbz/

plural of “hub” — the central part of a car wheel (or fan or propeller etc) through which the shaft or axle passes

From this reading “"Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.”

liable adjective US /ˈlaɪəbəl/

at risk of or subject to experiencing something usually unpleasant

From this reading “"Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.”

Lund noun US /lʌnd/

a city in southern Sweden

From this reading “"Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.”

pastime noun US /ˈpæstaɪm/

a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)

From this reading “And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."”

Pier noun US /pɪr/

a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats

From this reading “And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."”

soak verb US /soʊk/

submerge in a liquid

From this reading “"Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.”

All words in this reading · 68

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

alkalinounUS /ˈælkəlaɪ/

any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

AtlanticnounUS /ətˈlæntɪk/

the 2nd largest ocean; separates North and South America on the west from Europe and Africa on the east

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

chestnounUS /tʃest/

the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates

From this reading "They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.

cloudverbUS /klaʊd/

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

cuddledverbUS /ˈkʌdəld/

past form of “cuddle” — move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position

From this reading "They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.

driveverbUS /draɪv/

operate or control a vehicle

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

drivin

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

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

dustverbUS /dʌst/

remove the dust from

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

ernounUS /ər/

a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs with yttrium

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

flatteredverbUS /ˈflætərd/

past form of “flatter” — praise somewhat dishonestly

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading "They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

hubsnounUS /hʌbz/

plural of “hub” — the central part of a car wheel (or fan or propeller etc) through which the shaft or axle passes

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

I'll

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

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

I'm

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

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

laughnounUS /læf/

the sound of laughing

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

liableadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪəbəl/

at risk of or subject to experiencing something usually unpleasant

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

LundnounUS /lʌnd/

a city in southern Sweden

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

mebby

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

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

merryadjectiveUS /ˈmeri/

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading "They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.

OceannounUS /ˈoʊʃən/

a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

passin

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

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

pastimenounUS /ˈpæstaɪm/

a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

PiernounUS /pɪr/

a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

quitverbUS /kwɪt/

put an end to a state or an activity

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

quittin

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

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

retortedverbUS /riˈtɔːrtɪd/

past form of “retort” — answer back

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

SayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

soakverbUS /soʊk/

submerge in a liquid

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

stopsnounUS /stɑːps/

a gambling card game in which chips are placed on the ace and king and queen and jack of separate suits (taken from a separate deck)

From this reading "They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.

talkin

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

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

there's

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

From this reading "They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading "They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.

they're

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

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

TIREDadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Say, if I drive till I'm TIRED," he retorted, "I'm liable to soak 'er hubs in the Atlantic Ocean before I quit.

UpadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

VenicenounUS /ˈvenəs/

the provincial capital of Veneto; built on 118 islands within a lagoon in the Gulf of Venice; has canals instead of streets; one of Italy's major ports and a famous tourist attraction

From this reading And then, mebby I'll back 'er out an' drive 'er to the end of Venice Pier just for pastime."

wheelverbUS /wiːl/

change directions as if revolving on a pivot

From this reading "They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading "They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "They say there's no stops when you get the wheel cuddled up to your chest.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "Up in Lund they're talkin' yet about your drivin'," his new friend flattered him.

yuh

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

From this reading No quittin' an' no passin' yuh by with a merry laugh an' a cloud of alkali dust.

Chapter 9 of The Trail of the White Mule by B. M. Bower holds 190 sentences, grouped into 38 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 9 of The Trail of the White Mule contain?

Chapter 9 holds 190 sentences of The Trail of the White Mule, unabridged, divided into 38 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of The Trail of the White Mule by B. M. Bower exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 190 sentences, grouped into 38 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 9 of The Trail of the White Mule?

Work through the 38 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 38 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Trail of the White Mule

Common questions about reading The Trail of the White Mule by B. M. Bower on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Trail of the White Mule?

Yes. All 3334 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2063 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Trail of the White Mule is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2063, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Trail of the White Mule take to read?

About 277 minutes of reading across 667 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Trail of the White Mule section by section

How to work through The Trail of the White Mule section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of The Trail of the White Mule to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Trail of the White Mule

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Trail of the White Mule, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Casey
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trail of the White Mule; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hunched
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trail of the White Mule; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Behind
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trail of the White Mule; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wheel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Trail of the White Mule; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.