“Oh, goody!” cried Russ.

Laddie clapped his hands in joy.

And, taking turns, between bites, as it were, when they were eating supper, Russ and Laddie told of having met Mr. Hurd, who had spoken of the red-haired lumberman working at Mr. Barker’s place.

“So we went there, and Zip chased his cat,” explained Russ.  “And we upset, but he was nice and he showed us the ragged coat, only the pockets were full of holes and there weren’t any papers.”

“Well, that’s too bad!” said Daddy Bunker.  “You two little boys were very kind to do as much as you did, though.”

“Do you suppose, by any chance, this tramp lumberman might know something of your papers, Charles?” asked Grandma Bell.

“I’ll go over and see him in the morning,” said Mr. Bunker.

“May we go along?” asked Rose.  “I’d like to see the cat that scratched Zip.”

“He won’t scratch him again,” Laddie said.  “They’re good friends now.”

“I don’t want to see Zip scratched,” returned Rose.  “I just want to see Green Pond and the red-haired man and the cat.”

“I’ll tell you what we can do,” said Grandma Bell.  “We can all go on a picnic to Green Pond to-morrow.  We’ll go in the carry-all and take our lunch.  I know Mr. Barker, and he’ll let us eat our lunch in his woods.  Then you can ask the red-haired man about the lost papers, Charles.”

Mr. Bunker said this would be a good plan, and the next morning, bright and early, after the lunch had been put up, the six little Bunkers, with their father and mother and grandmother, started for Green Pond.

In a little while they were traveling along through the woods, down the same hill on which Zip had chased the rabbit.  This time Zip had been left in the barn with Tom Hardy.  Daddy Bunker was driving the horse.

“Here’s the gate where the man told us about Mr. Gannon,” said Russ, pointing out the driveway.  The man on guard knew Grandma Bell, and let them go on through.  They were soon at the log cabin.

Daddy Bunker knocked on the door, but there was no answer.

“I guess he isn’t at home,” said Grandma Bell.

“Are you looking for the lumberman—­the red-haired man who cuts trees?” asked a gardener, coming along just then.

“Yes, we should like to see him,” said Daddy Bunker.

“Well, he’s over in the woods, chopping.  I’ll call him for you.”

They all waited at the cabin, and soon there came the sound of some one tramping through the bushes along the shore of the pond.  Then the red-haired man came into view.

“Oh, ho!” he exclaimed, as he caught sight of Russ and Laddie.  “The two little Bunkers who came to see me yesterday!”

“All of us are here now—­the whole of the six little Bunkers,” said Russ.  “And here is my father, and mother and Grandma Bell, too!”

“Well, I’m sure I’m glad to see you all,” said Mr. Gannon, who had an axe over his shoulder.