and let Win work as he chose by himself, when Mr. Angus heard of a
young Scotchman, already acting as secretary to a gentleman in St.
Helier's and who could give the boys his afternoons.

Such an arrangement was not ideal, but Win took an instant liking
to the tall raw-boned person, who announced himself in a
delightful manner as "Weelyum Feesher."

Roger promptly dubbed him Bill Fish and refused to speak of him by
any other term, causing his mother to live in terror lest Mr.
Fisher should in some way learn of the disrespectful abbreviation.
Roger was not at all enthusiastic about Bill Fish but liked still
less the two schools he visited. To accept the tutor seemed the
lesser of two evils.

The chief drawback proved that the boys were occupied at just the
time when the girls were free, with the exception of Wednesday, a
holiday for all.

The result was that Edith and Frances were thrown much together.
Frances found it fortunate that she had a companion of her own
age, for the island ladies soon called upon Mrs. Thayne and drew
her into numerous social engagements. The little community had a
strong army and navy tinge and naturally welcomed Mrs. Thayne. She
would have taken far less part in the various festivities had she
been leaving her daughter alone, but the two girls proved so
congenial and Mrs. Thayne was so well satisfied with Edith as a
companion for Frances that she felt free to indulge her own social
instincts and enjoy the pleasant circle so invitingly opened.