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.

"We came to see about that ragged coat," explained Daddy Bunker. "I guess
my two boys told you why I wanted it. I remember you now. You are the man
my clerk gave the coat to, back in Pineville, aren't you?"

"Yes, and I want to thank you. That coat seemed to bring me good luck. I
got work right after you gave it to me, and I've been working ever since,
though I did tramp a lot."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you had good luck," said Daddy Bunker. "But I'm
sorry you didn't find the real estate papers I left in the coat pocket.
They must have been in when my clerk let you have it,