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Tom Gerrard
Tom Gerrard

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of Tom Gerrard is here in full — 99 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tom Gerrard
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.
The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.
He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.
Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.
He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Tom Gerrard

Chapter XXXI · Chapter 31

Chapter 31 of Tom Gerrard is here in full — 99 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.
Line 2
The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.
Line 3
He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.
Line 4
Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.
Line 5
He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.
/hiː ˈdɑːktərd ɪt ɪn ðə ˈjuːʒəwəl ˌæbərˈɪdʒənəl ˈmænər fɜːrst ˈpaʊdərɪŋ ɪt wɪð wʊd ˈæʃ.ɪz ənd ðen ˈplæstərɪŋ ðə hoʊl saɪd ʌv hɪz feɪs wɪð ˈwɑːtəl ɡʌm/

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.

doctored verb US /ˈdɑːktərd/

past form of “doctor” — alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive

From this reading “He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.”

gang's noun US /ɡæŋz/

possessive form of “gang” — an association of criminals

From this reading “The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.”

interred adjective US /ˌɪnˈtɜːrd/

placed in a grave

From this reading “The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.”

plastering noun US /ˈplæstərɪŋ/

the application of plaster

From this reading “He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.”

pouches noun US /ˈpaʊtʃəz/

plural of “pouch” — a small or medium size container for holding or carrying things

From this reading “The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.”

powdering verb US /ˈpaʊdərɪŋ/

-ing form of “powder” — make into a powder by breaking up or cause to become dust

From this reading “He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.”

Rios noun US /ˈriːoʊs/

plural of “rio” — the former capital and 2nd largest city of Brazil; chief Brazilian port; famous as a tourist attraction

From this reading “He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.”

wattle noun US /ˈwɑːtəl/

a fleshy wrinkled and often brightly colored fold of skin hanging from the neck or throat of certain birds (chickens and turkeys) or lizards

From this reading “He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.”

All words in this reading · 113

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 The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

ableadjectiveUS /ˈeɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

aboriginaladjectiveUS /ˌæbərˈɪdʒənəl/

characteristic of or relating to people inhabiting a region from the beginning

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/

weapons considered collectively

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

ashesnounUS /ˈæʃ.ɪz/

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

assailantsnounUS /əˈseɪlənts/

plural of “assailant” — someone who attacks

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

blackadjectiveUS /blæk/

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

blanketnounUS /ˈblæŋkət/

bedding that keeps a person warm in bed

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

bodiesnounUS /ˈbɑːdiz/

plural of “body” — the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

boynounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

bulletnounUS /ˈbʊlət/

a projectile that is fired from a gun

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

CommissionernounUS /kəˈmɪʃənər/

a government administrator

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

containingverbUS /kənˈteɪnɪŋ/

-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

deathsnounUS /deθs/

plural of “death” — the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

doctoredverbUS /ˈdɑːktərd/

past form of “doctor” — alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

gang'snounUS /ɡæŋz/

possessive form of “gang” — an association of criminals

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

Gerrard

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

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

granitenounUS /ˈɡrænət/

plutonic igneous rock having visibly crystalline texture; generally composed of feldspar and mica and quartz

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

grinnedverbUS /ɡrɪnd/

inflected form of “grin” — to draw back the lips and reveal the teeth, in a smile, grimace, or snarl

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

gumnounUS /ɡʌm/

a preparation (usually made of sweetened chicle) for chewing

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

holdverbUS /hoʊld/

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

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/

plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

inquirynounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪriː/

a search for knowledge

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

intendedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtendɪd/

resulting from one's intentions

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

interredadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɜːrd/

placed in a grave

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

jawverbUS /dʒɔː/

talk socially without exchanging too much information

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

judicialadjectiveUS /dʒuːˈdɪʃəl/

decreed by or proceeding from a court of justice

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

luckyadjectiveUS /ˈlʌki/

occurring by chance

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

mannernounUS /ˈmænər/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

Ochos

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

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

officialadjectiveUS /əˈfɪʃəl/

having official authority or sanction

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

packverbUS /pæk/

arrange in a container

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

pillarsnounUS /ˈpɪlərz/

plural of “pillar” — a fundamental principle or practice

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

plasteringnounUS /ˈplæstərɪŋ/

the application of plaster

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

pouchesnounUS /ˈpaʊtʃəz/

plural of “pouch” — a small or medium size container for holding or carrying things

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

powderingverbUS /ˈpaʊdərɪŋ/

-ing form of “powder” — make into a powder by breaking up or cause to become dust

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

powersnounUS /ˈpaʊərz/

plural of “power” — possession of controlling influence

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

RiosnounUS /ˈriːoʊs/

plural of “rio” — the former capital and 2nd largest city of Brazil; chief Brazilian port; famous as a tourist attraction

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

RockyadjectiveUS /ˈrɑːki/

abounding in rocks or stones

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

rolledadjectiveUS /roʊld/

especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

saddleverbUS /ˈsædəl/

put a saddle on

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

sandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/

of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

serveverbUS /sɜːrv/

serve a purpose, role, or function

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

smashedadjectiveUS /smæʃt/

very drunk

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

soilnounUS /sɔɪl/

the state of being covered with unclean things

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

stationnounUS /ˈsteɪʃən/

a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

strappedverbUS /stræpt/

inflected form of “strap” — tie with a strap

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

ThreenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

Tommy

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

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

tookverbUS /tʊk/

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

treacherousadjectiveUS /ˈtretʃərəs/

dangerously unstable and unpredictable

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

valises

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

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

Waterholes

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

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

wattlenounUS /ˈwɑːtəl/

a fleshy wrinkled and often brightly colored fold of skin hanging from the neck or throat of certain birds (chickens and turkeys) or lizards

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

weeksnounUS /wiːks/

plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Three days passed before Gerrard and the black boy were able to leave the Rocky Waterholes.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The bodies of their treacherous assailants they interred in the soft, sandy soil at the foot of one of the granite pillars, and then Gerrard took their valises containing their gold, together with their arms and saddle pouches, and rolled them in a blanket, which he strapped on one of the gang's horses, which was to serve as a pack.

woodnounUS /wʊd/

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading He doctored it in the usual aboriginal manner: first powdering it with wood ashes, and then plastering the whole side of his face with wattle gum.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading He intended to hand everything over to the Gold Commissioner, whom he expected to see at Ochos Rios in a few weeks, and who having judicial powers, would, he expected, hold the official inquiry into the deaths 'of the men at the station itself.

woundnounUS /waʊnd/

an injury to living tissue (especially an injury involving a cut or break in the skin)

From this reading Tommy made but little of his wound, and only grinned when Gerrard said he was lucky not to have had his jaw smashed by the bullet.

Chapter 31 of Tom Gerrard by Louis Becke holds 99 sentences, grouped into 20 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 31 of Tom Gerrard contain?

Chapter 31 holds 99 sentences of Tom Gerrard, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 31 of Tom Gerrard by Louis Becke exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 99 sentences, grouped into 20 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 31 of Tom Gerrard?

Work through the 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 20 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 31 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 31 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 Tom Gerrard

Common questions about reading Tom Gerrard by Louis Becke on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tom Gerrard?

Yes. All 3241 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24270 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tom Gerrard is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #24270, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Tom Gerrard take to read?

About 270 minutes of reading across 649 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Tom Gerrard section by section

How to work through Tom Gerrard section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 32 chapters of Tom Gerrard 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 Tom Gerrard

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tom Gerrard, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

France
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tom Gerrard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hallo
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tom Gerrard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Young
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tom Gerrard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Earth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tom Gerrard; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.