Even Shovel, who knew, between the bites, that it was all whoppers, listened as to his father reading aloud.

This was because another boy present half believed it for the moment also.

When he described the eerie darkness of the butler's pantry, he shivered involuntarily, and he shut his eyes once--ugh!--that was because he saw the blood spouting out of the butler.

He was turning up his trousers to show the mark of the butler's boot on his leg when the lady was called away, and then Shovel shook him, saying: "Darn yer, doesn't yer know as it's all your eye ?" which brought Tommy to his senses with a jerk.
"Sure's death, Shovel," he whispered, in awe, "I was thinking I done it, every bit!" Had her ladyship come back she would have found him a different boy.

He remembered now that Elspeth, for whom he had filled his pockets, was praying for him; he could see her on her knees, saying, "Oh, God, I'se praying for Tommy," and remorse took hold of him and shook him on his seat.