The Young Train Dispatcher

Chapter XXVIII

Chapter 28 of The Young Train Dispatcher is here in full — 208 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Burton Egbert Stevenson • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Young Train Dispatcher

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

JED STARTS FOR HOME Only for an instant did Jed Hopkins and Jack Welsh stand motionless there on the edge of the pit, staring down at the gruesome sight the burning cotton disclosed to them.

Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

"I'll go down," he said.

"I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

Stand well back from th' edge an' git a good hold.

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 XXVIII Reading 1/41

The Young Train Dispatcher

Chapter XXVIII

Chapter 28 of The Young Train Dispatcher is here in full — 208 sentences across 42 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

JED STARTS FOR HOME Only for an instant did Jed Hopkins and Jack Welsh stand motionless there on the edge of the pit, staring down at the gruesome sight the burning cotton disclosed to them.

Line 2

Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

Line 3

"I'll go down," he said.

Line 4

"I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

Line 5

Stand well back from th' edge an' git a good hold.

/stænd wel bæk frʌm ˈtiːˈeɪtʃ edʒ æn ɡɪt ə ɡʊd hoʊld/

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.

compressed adjective US /kəmˈprest/

pressed tightly together

From this reading “Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.”

disclosed adjective US /dɪˈskloʊzd/

made known (especially something secret or concealed)

From this reading “JED STARTS FOR HOME Only for an instant did Jed Hopkins and Jack Welsh stand motionless there on the edge of the pit, staring down at the gruesome sight the burning cotton disclosed to them.”

gruesome adjective US /ˈɡruːsəm/

shockingly repellent; inspiring horror

Hopkins noun US /ˈhɑːpkɪnz/

United States educator and theologian (1802-1887)

lightest adjective US /ˈlaɪtəst/

superlative of “light” — of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading “"I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.”

noose noun US /nuːs/

a trap for birds or small mammals; often has a slip noose

From this reading “Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.”

starts noun US /stɑːrts/

plural of “start” — the beginning of anything

Welsh noun US /weltʃ/

a native or resident of Wales

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

stand motionless verb + adjective

In this reading “JED STARTS FOR HOME Only for an instant did Jed Hopkins and Jack Welsh stand motionless there on the edge of the pit, staring down at the gruesome sight the burning cotton disclosed to them.”

for an instant preposition + article + noun counted as “for … instant”

on the edge preposition + article + noun counted as “on … edge”

go down verb + adjective

move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way

In this reading “"I'll go down," he said.”

caught up verb + adjective counted as “catch up”

reach the point where one should be after a delay

In this reading “Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.”

STARTS FOR verb + particle counted as “start for”

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 Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading JED STARTS FOR HOME Only for an instant did Jed Hopkins and Jack Welsh stand motionless there on the edge of the pit, staring down at the gruesome sight the burning cotton disclosed to them.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Stand well back from th' edge an' git a good hold.

burningnounUS /ˈbɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of burning something

caughtverbUS /kɑːt/

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

compressedadjectiveUS /kəmˈprest/

pressed tightly together

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

cottonnounUS /ˈkɑːtən/

soft silky fibers from cotton plants in their raw state

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

disclosedadjectiveUS /dɪˈskloʊzd/

made known (especially something secret or concealed)

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

edgenounUS /edʒ/

the boundary of a surface

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

erectverbUS /ɪˈrekt/

construct, build, or erect

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Stand well back from th' edge an' git a good hold.

gitnounUS /ɡɪt/

a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible

From this reading Stand well back from th' edge an' git a good hold.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading "I'll go down," he said.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Stand well back from th' edge an' git a good hold.

gruesomeadjectiveUS /ˈɡruːsəm/

shockingly repellent; inspiring horror

guessverbUS /ɡes/

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

handleverbUS /ˈhændəl/

be in charge of, act on, or dispose of

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "I'll go down," he said.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

holdverbUS /hoʊld/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Stand well back from th' edge an' git a good hold.

HOMEnounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

HopkinsnounUS /ˈhɑːpkɪnz/

United States educator and theologian (1802-1887)

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

I'll

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

From this reading "I'll go down," he said.

I'm

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

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

instantnounUS /ˈɪnstənt/

a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

JacknounUS /dʒæk/

a small worthless amount

JED

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

kinnounUS /kɪn/

a person having kinship with another or others

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

lightestadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəst/

superlative of “light” — of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

motionlessadjectiveUS /ˈmoʊʃənləs/

not in physical motion

noosenounUS /nuːs/

a trap for birds or small mammals; often has a slip noose

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

OnlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

pitnounUS /pɪt/

A large hole in the ground, or an abyss of darkness and peril.

rapidlyadverbUS /ˈræpədli/

with speed

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

ropenounUS /roʊp/

a strong line

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "I'll go down," he said.

sightnounUS /saɪt/

an instance of visual perception

sprangverbUS /spræŋ/

inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

standverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

staringadjectiveUS /ˈsterɪŋ/

(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder

STARTSnounUS /stɑːrts/

plural of “start” — the beginning of anything

thnounUS /ˈtiːˈeɪtʃ/

the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading Then Jed sprang erect, his lips compressed, caught up the rope, and rapidly made a noose in one end of it.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Stand well back from th' edge an' git a good hold.

WelshnounUS /weltʃ/

a native or resident of Wales

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "I'm th' lightest, an' I guess you kin handle me all right.

Chapter 28 of The Young Train Dispatcher by Burton Egbert Stevenson holds 208 sentences, grouped into 42 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.

What does chapter 28 of The Young Train Dispatcher contain?

Chapter 28 holds 208 sentences of The Young Train Dispatcher, unabridged, divided into 42 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 28 of The Young Train Dispatcher by Burton Egbert Stevenson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 208 sentences, grouped into 42 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 28 of The Young Train Dispatcher?

Work through the 42 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 42 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 28 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 28 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 Young Train Dispatcher

Common questions about reading The Young Train Dispatcher by Burton Egbert Stevenson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Young Train Dispatcher?

Yes. All 4555 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #55624 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Young Train Dispatcher is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #55624, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Young Train Dispatcher take to read?

About 379 minutes of reading across 911 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Young Train Dispatcher section by section

How to work through The Young Train Dispatcher section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 29 chapters of The Young Train Dispatcher 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 Young Train Dispatcher

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Young Train Dispatcher, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Position: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Young Train Dispatcher; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stretching: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Young Train Dispatcher; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Atlantic: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Young Train Dispatcher; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Seaboard: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Young Train Dispatcher; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter XXVIII

What does chapter 28 of The Young Train Dispatcher contain?

How do I study chapter 28 of The Young Train Dispatcher?

Can chapter 28 be read aloud to me?

Questions about reading The Young Train Dispatcher

How to read The Young Train Dispatcher section by section

Open a chapter

Read one section

Listen and tap

Vocabulary met early in The Young Train Dispatcher