They listened and believed him.

He believed himself.
"And the people knew what that tune meant ?" said his mother.
"Yes--just like the Scotch when they heard 'The Flowers o' the Forest'-- and when they used to ring the bells backward for alarm." "How ?" said Annie.

"A bell sounds the same whether it's rung backwards or forwards." "But," he said, "if you start with the deep bell and ring up to the high one--der--der--der--der--der--der--der--der!" He ran up the scale.

Everybody thought it clever.

He thought so too.
Then, waiting a minute, he continued the poem.
"Hm!" said Mrs.Morel curiously, when he finished.