And in the Hamon household he found much to interest him and not a
little ground for speculation.
Old Mrs. Hamon--Grannie--had promptly ordered him in for inspection,
and, after prolonged and careful observation from the interior of the
black sun-bonnet, had been understood to approve him, since she said
nothing to the contrary.
It took him some time to arrive at the correct relationship between
young Tom and Nance and Bernel, for it seemed quite incredible that
fruit so diverse should spring from one parent stem.
For Tom was all that was rough and boorish--rude to Mrs. Hamon, coarse,
and at times overbearing to Nance and Bernel, to such an extent, indeed,
that more than once Gard had difficulty in remembering that he himself
was only a visitor on sufferance and not entitled to interfere in such
intimate family matters.
Tom was not slow to perceive this, and in consequence set himself
deliberately to provoke it by behaviour even more outrageous than usual.
Time and again Gard would have rejoiced to take him outside and express
his feelings to their fullest satisfaction.
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