Then quite a group of boys and girls--playmates of Tom's and Joe's--came by, and stood looking over the paling fence and talking in reverent tones of how Tom did so-and-so the last time they saw him, and how Joe said this and that small trifle (pregnant with awful prophecy, as they could easily see now!)--and each speaker pointed out the exact spot where the lost lads stood at the time, and then added something like "and I was a-standing just so--just as I am now, and as if you was him--I was as close as that--and he smiled, just this way--and then something seemed to go all over me, like--awful, you know--and I never thought what it meant, of course, but I can see now!"
Minden szavuk, minden tettük szörnyű erejű jóslat volt, amit most már természetesen láttak. A gyerekek még a pontos helyet is megmutatták, ahol az elveszett fiúk akkor álltak, s körülbelül ilyesféléket mondtak: Éppen így álltam itt, s minthogyha te lennél Tom, ilyen közel voltam hozzá.