Chapter 34 of Tom Thatcher's Fortune is here in full — 61 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXIV
Chapter 34 of Tom Thatcher's Fortune is here in full — 61 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A STARTLING DISCLOSURE. As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends. “But what will your friends say?” asked Percival. “They will be glad of your company,” said Tom, promptly. The banker looked pleased.
Chapter 34 of Tom Thatcher's Fortune is here in full — 61 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
a financier who owns or is an executive in a bank
From this reading “As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.”
the speech act of making something evident
From this reading “A STARTLING DISCLOSURE.”
in a willing manner
From this reading “As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.”
a narrow gorge with a stream running through it
From this reading “As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.”
in collaboration or cooperation
From this reading “As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.”
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading “A STARTLING DISCLOSURE.”
a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks
From this reading “As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.”
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.”
In this reading “As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.”
In this reading “As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A STARTLING DISCLOSURE.
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “But what will your friends say?” asked Percival.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
a financier who owns or is an executive in a bank
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “They will be glad of your company,” said Tom, promptly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But what will your friends say?” asked Percival.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading “They will be glad of your company,” said Tom, promptly.
the speech act of making something evident
From this reading A STARTLING DISCLOSURE.
divisible by two
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading “They will be glad of your company,” said Tom, promptly.
in a willing manner
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
a narrow gorge with a stream running through it
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
in collaboration or cooperation
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The banker looked pleased.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
not any; not one
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
held or filled or in use
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “They will be glad of your company,” said Tom, promptly.
go across or through
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading The banker looked pleased.
with little or no delay
From this reading “They will be glad of your company,” said Tom, promptly.
abounding in rocks or stones
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “They will be glad of your company,” said Tom, promptly.
express in words
From this reading “But what will your friends say?” asked Percival.
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading A STARTLING DISCLOSURE.
a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
in or at that place or location
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “They will be glad of your company,” said Tom, promptly.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
male cat
From this reading “They will be glad of your company,” said Tom, promptly.
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As there was no hotel, nor even tavern, at Rocky Gulch, the banker, Percival, gladly accepted Tom’s invitation to pass the night at the cabin occupied jointly by himself and his two friends.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “But what will your friends say?” asked Percival.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “But what will your friends say?” asked Percival.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “But what will your friends say?” asked Percival.
Chapter 34 of Tom Thatcher's Fortune by Horatio, Jr. Alger holds 61 sentences, grouped into 13 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 34 holds 61 sentences of Tom Thatcher's Fortune, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 34 of Tom Thatcher's Fortune by Horatio, Jr. Alger exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 61 sentences, grouped into 13 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 13 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 34 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.
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Yes. All 5824 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #56896 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #56896, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 485 minutes of reading across 1165 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Tom Thatcher's Fortune section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 39 chapters of Tom Thatcher's Fortune to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Tom Thatcher's Fortune, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
