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."

They were agreeably surprised to hear no more of Tom, but learned before
long that, on the strength of his unexpected good fortune, he had gone
over to Guernsey to pass, in ways that most appealed to him, the six
weeks allowed by the law for the settlement of his father's affairs.

Within that six weeks Philip Tanquerel of Val Creux had, on Mrs. Hamon's
behalf, to allot all old Tom's estate, house, fields, cattle,
implements, furniture, into three as equal portions as he could contrive
with his most careful balancing of pros and cons. For, with Solomon-like
wisdom, Sark law entails upon the widow the apportionment of the three
lots into which everything is divided, but allows the heir first choice
of any two of them, the remaining lot becoming the widow's dower.

No light undertaking, therefore, the apportionment of those lots, or the
widow may be left with only bedrooms to live in, and an ill proportion
of grazing ground for her cattle and herself to live upon. For, be sure
that when it comes to the picking of these lots, even the best of sons
will pick the plums, and when such an one as Tom Hamon is in question it
is as well to mingle the plums and the sloes with an exactitude of
proportionment that will allow of no advantage either way.