Tom got up rather dazedly, and Gard took him by the shoulders and ran him outside before he had time to pull himself together.
"Now," said Gard, shaking him as a bull-dog might a calf. "See here! You're not wanted here at present, and if you make any more trouble you'll suffer for it," and he gave him a final whirl away from the house and went in and closed the door.
Tom stood gazing at it in dull fury, thought of smashing the window, picked up a stone, remembered just in time that it would be his window, so flung the stone and a curse against the door and departed.
"I'm sorry," said Gard, looking deprecatingly at Nance. "I'm afraid I lost my temper."
"It was all his fault," said Nance. "Did he hurt you?"
"Only my feelings. He had no right to say such things or do what he did."
"It's always good to see him licked," said Bernel with gusto. "Nance and I used to try, but he was too big for us."
Mrs. Hamon had gone in with a white face to explain things to Grannie.
She came back presently and said briefly to Gard, "She wants you," and he went in to the old lady.
"You did well, Stephen Gard," she chirped. "Stand by them, for they'll need it. He's a bad lot is Tom, and he'll make things uncomfortable when he comes here to live. When Nancy takes her third of what's left of the house, that'll be only two rooms, so you'll have to look out for another, and maybe you'll not find it easy to get one in Little Sark. If you take my advice you'll try Charles Guille at Clos Bourel, or Thomas Carré at the Plaisance Cottages by the Coupée, they're kindly folk both. I've told Nancy to get Philip Tanquerel of Val Creux to help her portion the lots, and it'll be no easy job, for Tom will choose the best and get all he can."