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Tom Slade with the Colors
Tom Slade with the Colors

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Tom Slade with the Colors is here in full — 99 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Tom Slade with the Colors
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.
This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.
This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.
The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.
The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Tom Slade with the Colors

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of Tom Slade with the Colors 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
INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.
Line 2
This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.
Line 3
This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.
/ðɪs enˈtaɪsɪŋ spɑːt wɑːz ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl tuː ðə ʃɪps bɔɪz ənd ðeɪ ˈlɪŋɡərd æt ðə ˈreɪlɪŋ ʌv ðə ˈhæloʊd ˈpriːsɪŋkt ðə ˈboʊldər əˈmʌŋ ðem sʌtʃ æz ˈɑːrtʃər ˈmeɪkɪŋ flæŋk ˈmuːvmənts ənd səmˈtaɪmz ɡrænd draɪvz θruː ðə roʊp fens ðer tuː stænd ənd tʃæt ənˈtɪl ðeɪ wɜːr dɪˈskʌvərd baɪ ðə ˈsekənd ˈɔːfəsər ɑːn hɪz raʊndz/
Line 4
The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.
/ðə ˈmembərz ʌv ðə ɡʌn kruː huː wɜːr nɑːt ˈɑːkjəpaɪd ɪn ˈskænɪŋ ðə ˈwɔːtər wɪð ðer ˈɡlæsəz wɜːr ɡlæd ɪˈnʌf tuː bɪˈɡaɪl ðə ˈtiːdiəm ʌv ðə deɪz bɪˈfɔːr ðə ˈdeɪndʒər zoʊn wɑːz riːtʃt ɪn ˈbæntər wɪð ðiːz ˈjʌŋstərz/
Line 5
The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

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.

banter noun US /ˈbæntər/

light teasing repartee

From this reading “The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.”

beguile verb US /bɪˈɡaɪl/

influence by slyness

From this reading “The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.”

enticing adjective US /enˈtaɪsɪŋ/

highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire

From this reading “This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.”

hallowed adjective US /ˈhæloʊd/

worthy of religious veneration

From this reading “This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.”

precinct noun US /ˈpriːsɪŋkt/

a district of a city or town marked out for administrative purposes

From this reading “This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.”

tedium noun US /ˈtiːdiəm/

the feeling of being bored by something tedious

From this reading “The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.”

wireless noun US /ˈwaɪrlɪs/

medium for communication

From this reading “The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.”

zone noun US /zoʊn/

a locally circumscribed place characterized by some distinctive features

From this reading “INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.”

All words in this reading · 108

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 INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

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 INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

ArchernounUS /ˈɑːrtʃər/

a person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

Archibald

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

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

asternadverb

stern foremost or backward

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

banternounUS /ˈbæntər/

light teasing repartee

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

beguileverbUS /bɪˈɡaɪl/

influence by slyness

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

berthnounUS /bɜːrθ/

a job in an organization

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

BillynounUS /ˈbɪli/

a short stout club used primarily by policemen

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

bolderadjectiveUS /ˈboʊldər/

comparative of “bold” — fearless and daring

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

boysnounUS /bɔɪz/

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

chatverbUS /tʃæt/

talk socially without exchanging too much information

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

constantadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnstənt/

unvarying in nature

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

crewnounUS /kruː/

the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

DANGERnounUS /ˈdeɪndʒər/

the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

decknounUS /dek/

any of various platforms built into a vessel

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

disported

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

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

drivesnounUS /draɪvz/

plural of “drive” — the act of applying force to propel something

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

enticingadjectiveUS /enˈtaɪsɪŋ/

highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

fascinationnounUS /ˌfæsəˈneɪʃən/

the state of being intensely interested (as by awe or terror)

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

fenceverbUS /fens/

enclose with a fence

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

flanknounUS /flæŋk/

the side of military or naval formation

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

forbiddenadjectiveUS /fərˈbɪd.ən/

Not allowed; banned or prohibited by rule or law.

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

gladadjectiveUS /ɡlæd/

showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

glassesnounUS /ˈɡlæsəz/

(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

grandadjectiveUS /ɡrænd/

of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

gunnounUS /ɡʌn/

a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

hallowedadjectiveUS /ˈhæloʊd/

worthy of religious veneration

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

INTOprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

irresistibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl/

impossible to resist; overpowering

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

leisurenounUS /ˈleʒər/

time available for ease and relaxation

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

lingeredverbUS /ˈlɪŋɡərd/

past form of “linger” — remain present although waning or gradually dying

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

membersnounUS /ˈmembərz/

plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

movementsnounUS /ˈmuːvmənts/

plural of “movement” — a change of position that does not entail a change of location

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

nextadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

numerousadjectiveUS /ˈnuːmərəs/

amounting to a large indefinite number

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

occupiedadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪd/

held or filled or in use

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

officernounUS /ˈɔːfəsər/

any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

passengersnounUS /ˈpæsəndʒərz/

plural of “passenger” — a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

pell-melladjective

with undue hurry and confusion

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

precinctnounUS /ˈpriːsɪŋkt/

a district of a city or town marked out for administrative purposes

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

promotionnounUS /prəˈmoʊʃən/

a message issued in behalf of some product or cause or idea or person or institution

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

railed-off

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

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

railingnounUS /ˈreɪlɪŋ/

a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

readingnounUS /ˈriːdɪŋ/

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

ropenounUS /roʊp/

a strong line

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

roundsnounUS /raʊndz/

plural of “round” — a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

runningadjectiveUS /ˈrʌnɪŋ/

(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

scanningnounUS /ˈskænɪŋ/

the process of translating photographs into a digital form that can be recognized by a computer

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

shipverbUS /ʃɪp/

transport commercially

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

ship'snounUS /ʃɪps/

possessive form of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

spotnounUS /spɑːt/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

standverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

stretchverbUS /stretʃ/

occupy a large, elongated area

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

SundaynounUS /ˈsʌndeɪ/

first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

tediumnounUS /ˈtiːdiəm/

the feeling of being bored by something tedious

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

TomnounUS /tɑːm/

male cat

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

Tom'snounUS /tɑːmz/

possessive form of “tom” — male cat

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

vigilnounUS /ˈvɪdʒəl/

a period of sleeplessness

From this reading This was the railed-off stretch of deck astern where Billy Sunday and the gun crew held constant vigil.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading This enticing spot was irresistible to the ship's boys, and they lingered at the railing of the hallowed precinct, the bolder among them, such as Archer, making flank movements and sometimes grand drives through the rope fence, there to stand and chat until they were discovered by the second officer on his rounds.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

wirelessnounUS /ˈwaɪrlɪs/

medium for communication

From this reading The next day after Tom's promotion Archibald Archer came running pell-mell to the wireless room where he was reading in the berth.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

youngstersnounUS /ˈjʌŋstərz/

plural of “youngster” — a young person of either sex

From this reading The members of the gun crew who were not occupied in scanning the water with their glasses were glad enough to beguile the tedium of the days before the danger zone was reached in banter with these youngsters.

ZONEnounUS /zoʊn/

a locally circumscribed place characterized by some distinctive features

From this reading INTO THE DANGER ZONE There was one part of the ship forbidden to passengers and all but forbidden to crew, where Archibald Archer disported and which was a spot of fascination to Tom in his numerous leisure hours.

Chapter 21 of Tom Slade with the Colors by Percy Keese Fitzhugh 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 21 of Tom Slade with the Colors contain?

Chapter 21 holds 99 sentences of Tom Slade with the Colors, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of Tom Slade with the Colors by Percy Keese Fitzhugh 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 21 of Tom Slade with the Colors?

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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 Slade with the Colors

Common questions about reading Tom Slade with the Colors by Percy Keese Fitzhugh on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Tom Slade with the Colors?

Yes. All 2557 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20986 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Tom Slade with the Colors is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #20986, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Tom Slade with the Colors take to read?

About 213 minutes of reading across 512 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Tom Slade with the Colors section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of Tom Slade with the Colors 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 Slade with the Colors

Words and structures a reader meets early in Tom Slade with the Colors, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Slade
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tom Slade with the Colors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hoisted
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tom Slade with the Colors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Trousers
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tom Slade with the Colors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tightened
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Tom Slade with the Colors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.