Chapter 25 of The X Bar X boys on the ranch is here in full — 337 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXV
Chapter 25 of The X Bar X boys on the ranch is here in full — 337 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house. Mrs. Manley was talking to Norine in the living room. “Mother!” Teddy exclaimed, “where’s dad? Is he in?”
Chapter 25 of The X Bar X boys on the ranch is here in full — 337 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/67 · 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 room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading “Teddy exclaimed, “where’s dad?”
-ing form of “peep” — look furtively
From this reading “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
done under pressure
From this reading “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
plaything consisting of a child's toy bear (usually plush and stuffed with soft materials)
From this reading “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
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 “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
a room in a private house or establishment where people can sit and talk and relax
In this reading “Mrs. Manley was talking to Norine in the living room.”
In this reading “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
In this reading “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
In this reading “THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.”
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 THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading Teddy exclaimed, “where’s dad?
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading Teddy exclaimed, “where’s dad?
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Is he in?”
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mrs. Manley was talking to Norine in the living room.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Is he in?”
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Mrs. Manley was talking to Norine in the living room.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Manley was talking to Norine in the living room.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading “Mother!”
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Manley was talking to Norine in the living room.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Manley was talking to Norine in the living room.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
-ing form of “peep” — look furtively
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Mrs. Manley was talking to Norine in the living room.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
done under pressure
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading Mrs. Manley was talking to Norine in the living room.
plaything consisting of a child's toy bear (usually plush and stuffed with soft materials)
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mrs. Manley was talking to Norine in the living room.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
at the time that
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Teddy exclaimed, “where’s dad?
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading THE ROUND-UP The first stars were peeping from a cloud-strewn sky when Roy and Teddy rode into the yards of the X Bar X. Without waiting to tie up their horses, they rushed into the house.
Chapter 25 of The X Bar X boys on the ranch by James Cody Ferris holds 337 sentences, grouped into 68 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 25 holds 337 sentences of The X Bar X boys on the ranch, unabridged, divided into 68 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 25 of The X Bar X boys on the ranch by James Cody Ferris exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 337 sentences, grouped into 68 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 68 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 68 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 25 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 X Bar X boys on the ranch by James Cody Ferris on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #?, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The X Bar X boys on the ranch section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 0 chapters of The X Bar X boys on the ranch 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 X Bar X boys on the ranch, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
