 Chapter 23 of Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bells This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Jonan. Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bells by Laura Lee Hope Chapter 23, The Lumberman's Cabin Along the road that led down the hill and through the woods to Green Pond went zip the dog, pulling after him the cart in which Russ and Lattie rode. I'm glad we're riding, said Lattie. It will be awful far to walk to Mr. Barker's place at Green Pond and back again. Wouldn't it, Russ? Oh, I don't know, Russ answered slowly as he guided zip around a turn in the crooked path. I could walk it, but your legs aren't as long as mine. I walked two miles once with Daddy. What'll we do when we see that red-haired lumberman, asked the smaller boy? We'll ask him for Daddy's old coat in the papers. But maybe he'll want the old coat, suggested Lattie. Oh, well, he can have that, Russ answered. Daddy gave him that anyhow, but we can ask him for the papers. Supposing he hasn't got them? What makes you suppose so much, demanded Russ? Wait till we get there and we can tell what to do. All right, agreed Lattie. I can be thinking of a riddle. Maybe I could ask the lumberman a riddle, Russ. Could I? Maybe, but maybe he doesn't like them. Some folks don't. I could ask him an easy one about the miller's hat, or about why the tickets don't get mad when the conductor punches them. No, don't ask him that one, Russ said. Why not? Because that one about the tickets is too hard. Nobody knows the answer. You don't yourself. I know I don't, but maybe the lumberman might. Maybe he'd like to answer it. I guess I'll ask him. No, don't do it, advised Russ. He's a poor lumberman, or he wouldn't want an old coat. And if he's poor, he wouldn't pay money for tickets, so he wouldn't know why the conductor punched him. Lattie thought about this a while. All right, he said finally, as Zip trotted along down the hill and came out on a level road that led to Green Pond. I'll make up a new riddle for the lumberman, he went on. Or I could ask him about Zip's breath coming in short pants. All right, ask him that, agreed, Russ. I hope he gives us the papers. Mr. Barker's place was on the shores of Green Pond. In fact, the man owned the whole pond, or Little Lake, for that was what it was, and all the woods around it. His house, a very big one, stood in the woods not far from the pond, and all about the house were beautiful grounds, with roads and paths leading through them. And around the house was a high iron fence, with gateways here and there. Russ and Lattie, riding in their soapbox dog cart, came along the public road. Ahead of them, they could see the big iron fence around Mr. Barker's place. They knew it, for they had driven past it the week before with Grandma Bell. And she took the six little bunkers and daddy bunker and mother bunker for a picnic ride in the big carriage. There is the place, said Lattie pointing. I see it, returned Russ. Now we'll drive in and find the lumberman and get Daddy's papers. Russ guided Zip up to one of the big iron gates, and as the boys turned into the drive, a man came out of a little house near the entrance and held up his hand. It was just as the policeman does in the city street when he wants the automobiles and wagons to stop, so Russ called to Zip, whoa! The dog had learned to stop when anyone driving him said this, so now he halted and, being tired, he stretched out on the ground. His harness was loose so he could do this. Where are you boys going? asked the man at the gate. We want to find a lumberman, said Russ. A lumberman? Yes, one works here and he has Daddy's old coat, and there are some papers in the pocket that Daddy wants, Russ explained. He's red-haired, he went on. I mean, the lumberman is not my father. Oh, said the man at the gate, so you're looking for someone. But Mr. Barker lives here and you can't go in, I'm afraid. We know Mr. Barker lives here, returned Russ. We live over at Lake Sagatook, that is, we don't exactly live there, but we're visiting Grandma Bell. Oh, are you some of the little children staying at Mrs. Bell's house? Asked the gate-tender. I heard she had company. I know her well, but I don't often get a chance to see her. So you're her company. She's our grandma, explained Russ. And we are the six little bunkers, everybody calls us that. Of course, Lattie and I are only two bunkers, there are four more at home. Rose, Vi, Margie, and Mun Bun. What's Mun Bun? Asked the gate-man. Nearly everyone asked this on hearing the funny name. Mun Bun is our littlest brother, explained Russ who was doing all the talking. His right name is Mun Ro, but we call him Mun Bun for short. Well, as long as you don't eat him for short, I guess it will be alright. Said the gate-man with the laugh. Is that a riddle about eating Mun Bun? Asked Lattie. No, that's supposed to be a joke, explained the gate-man. Your brother's nickname is Bun, you say. Well, a Bun is something good to eat, but I hope you don't eat your little brother. Joke, you see. Russ and Lattie laughed. They didn't exactly understand the joke, but they thought the gate-man was jolly and they wanted to be jolly too. So you six little bunkers, at least two of you, came to see Mr. Barker, did you? Asked the man at the entrance. No, we didn't exactly come to see him, answered Russ. We wanted to see the lumber-men that took Daddy's ragged coat with the papers in the pocket. Only he didn't know they were there, and he didn't take the coat that was given to him. You want to see a lumber-man? Repeated the guard at the gate, or he was a sort of guard. But we haven't any lumber-men here. He's red-haired, Russ reminded him. Oh, I guess I know whom you mean, said the gate-man. There is a red-haired man cutting trees over in the woods. Mr. Barker is going to build a new dock for his boats in Green Pond, and there is a red-haired man chopping down trees for the work. He is a lumber-man, I suppose. And is he red-haired? Asked Daddy eagerly. Yes, his hair is red. I remember now. He came here one day and asked if there was any work on the place. I was going to tell him there wasn't when one of the gardeners said the foreman was looking for a man to chop trees. So this red-haired man was hired. And is he a tramp? Asked Russ. Well, he did sort of look like that, ragged and dusty. And did he have a ragged coat? Russ went on. I didn't notice particularly, answered the gate-man. He was pretty much ragged all over, I guess, but I didn't pay much attention to him as I was busy. But he certainly was red-haired. Oh, I do hope he's got Daddy's papers, went on Russ. Mr. Herd told us about the lumber-man, where he went on and we came to see him. Well, you can do that, said the guard at the gate. Just follow this road until you come to the lake. This lumber-man, I think his name is Mike Gannon, lives by himself in a little cabin near the place where the new dock is to be built. He said he was used to living by himself, so the foreman told him he could camp out there. And there he'll find him if he isn't chopping down trees in the woods. Just follow this road to the lake. Will your dog pull you there? Oh, yes. Zip is a good puller, said Russ. He gave us this ride from Lake Sagatook. And he ran after a rabbit, added Lattie. And he might've got it, only the bunny went down a hole. They mostly do that when a dog chases him, said the gate-man. Well, you just follow the road along until you come to the cabin where the red-haired lumber-man lives. Mike Gannon is his name. And then you can ask him about the ragged coat and the papers. Stop and tell me about it on your way out. We will, promised Russ and Lattie. Then Russ called the zip, get up. Upjump the dog with the bark, as much as it's to say goodbye to the gate-man and down the gravel drive he trotted with the car. He was a nice man, wasn't he? Observed Lattie. Yes, terrible nice, agreed Russ. I hope we find the red-haired lumber-man. I forgot to ask him a riddle, went on Lattie. I mean the men at the gate. But I can ask him one when we go back. If we have time, Russ said, we can't stay too long or mother and daddy and grandma Belle will wonder where we are. That's so, agreed Lattie. Well we'll just find the lumber-man and get the papers and take them to daddy. Only it was not going to be quite as easy as that, the boys were to learn. Along the pre-drive under the trees they went in the dog car. Pretty soon they came to a part of the road where the little lake came close to the roadway and just beyond was a log cabin. There's where the lumber-man lives, said Russ. Yes, I guess he does, agreed Lattie. And just then, all of a sudden, Zip saw a cat out in front of the cabin. With a growl in the back, the dog began to run toward the cat as fast as he could go, pulling the cart after him. Whoa, whoa, stop, cried Russ. Stop, stop Zip, yelled Lattie, stop. But the dog did not hear or would not mind. Straight at the cat he rushed, and Pussy, seeing a strange dog coming and pulling a soapbox cart in which were two boys, Pussy, seeing the strange sight, arched her back and made her tail get as big as a big bologna sausage. End of Chapter 23. Recording by Johnny. Chapter 24 of Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bells. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Nan Dodge. Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bells by Laura Lee Hope. The Old Coat. Bang! That was the soapbox cart hitting against a tree. Tunk, tunk! Those were the soft sounds Russ and Lattie made as they were spilled out on the grass near the lumberman's cabin. Bow, wow! That was Zip barking at the cat. Hiss, hiss! That was the cat making queer noises at Zip. Wow, wow, wow, yelp! That was Zip howling because the cat scratched his nose. For that's just what the cat did. Zip rushed at her so fast that he banged the cart against a tree and turned it over on its side spilling out Russ and Lattie. And Zip, not seeming to care what happened to his little masters, kept on after the cat. But Pussy was brave and she didn't run and climb a tree as most cats did when Zip chased them. She just stood, arching her back, making her tail big, and hissing queer sounds until the dog came near enough. When she darted out of paw and the sharp claws scratched Zip on the nose, then Zip howled and sat down to look at the cat and the cat stayed right there looking at Zip. For a moment or two Russ and Lattie didn't know just what had happened, but they scrambled to their feet. Then they saw Zip and the overturned cart and the cat and they understood. He chased a cat, said Lattie. Zip, you're a bad dog, cried Russ and he shook his finger at the pet. Didn't Grandma Bell tell you not to chase cats? This was true. Grandma Bell had told Zip that. But like boys and girls he sometimes forgot. Zip wasn't a bad dog and he never bit cats, he just liked to chase them once in a while. Are you hurt, Lattie asked Russ? No, are you? Nope. Say, but didn't Zip run fast, though? Terrible fast, faster than when he chased the rabbit. There were a few red spots on Zip's nose where the cat had scratched him. The dog licked them away with his tongue and looked rather silly. It wasn't very often a cat stayed to fight him. Russ and Lattie started for the overturned cart to set it up on the wheels again. When the door of the log cabin opened an out came a red-haired man whose clothes were quite old and ragged. He wore a pair of boots into the tops of which his trousers were tucked, but he had on no coat. Russ and Lattie looked particularly to see if he had a coat, but he had none. Hello, what's going on here, asked the man. If you please, our dog chased your cat, said Russ, but he didn't hurt him. I mean, our dog didn't hurt your cat. I'm glad of that, said the man with a smile. That's a good cat of mine. I haven't had her very long, but I wouldn't want a dog to hurt her. But your dog seems to be scratched, went on the man, as he looked carefully and saw some more red spots of blood on Zip's nose. Yes, your cat scratched him, returned Russ. I guess Zip won't chase her any more. I guess not, the red-haired man agreed. So you had an upset, did you? He went on, as he noticed the overturned cart. Did either of you get hurt? No, thank you, answered Russ. We fell on the soft grass. That's good, returned the man. I suppose you belong up in the big house, though I haven't seen you before, and I didn't know there were any children up there. No, we don't live in the big house, said Russ, for the man had pointed toward the residence of Mr. Barker. We live over at Lake Sagatook. I mean, we're visiting Grandma Bell, and we came to see you. We're two of the six little bunkers. Oh, you're two of the six little bunkers, are you, asked the man? Well, if the other four are as nice as you, I'd like to see them. You say you came to see me? Yes, sir, answered Russ. You're the lumberman, aren't you? Well, yes, I used to be a lumberman when I could get work at it, answered the man standing in the cabin door. I know how to cut down trees and all that sort of thing. And you have red hair, added Russ. Yes, you're right, I have got red hair. And the lumberman ran his fingers through it, as though to pull out some and make sure it had not changed color. Is your name Mike Gannon, asked Russ? That's my name, little bunker. I don't know your first name. It's Russ, and his is Laddie, and Russ pointed to his brother. By this time the cat, seeing that Zip was not going to chase her anymore, had taken the arch out of her back, and her tail looked like a small Frankfurter sausage, and not like a big bologna one. Well, Russ and Laddie bunker, I'm glad to see you, said Mr. Gannon. And so you live over at Lake Sagatook and not here at Green Pond. Why did you come so far? To see you, answered Russ. To see me, exclaimed the red-haired lumberman in surprise. Well, I'm no great sight to look at, that's sure. But still I'm glad to see you. Are you sure you wanted me? Your red-haired said Russ slowly, as though going over certain points. That's right, said the lumberman. And you cut down trees, went on Russ. Correct. And were you ever a tramp, Russ asked? Well, yes, you could call me that, admitted the red-haired man, speaking slowly. I'm a sort of tramp lumberman. I never like to stay long in one place. And so I'm roving all over. You could call me a tramp. That's good, said Russ. Well, sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't, said Mr. Gannon. It isn't so bad tramping in the summer, but in the winter it isn't so nice. You get cold and hungry. I mean it's good, because you're the very one we want to see, went on Russ, who felt quite big and grown up, now that he and Laddie had come this far alone. Now where is the ragged coat? The ragged coat, questioned Mr. Gannon. He did not seem to know what Laddie meant. Didn't you get a ragged coat from my daddy's real estate office about a month ago, went on Russ in surprise? It was in Pineville where we live when we aren't visiting Grandma Bell. Did you get a ragged coat there? Pineville. Pineville murmured the red-haired lumberman to himself, as if trying to remember. Yes, I did tramp through there and— Hold on, he cried. I remember now. I did ask at an office if they had an old coat they could give me. I hadn't one worth wearing. I did get an old coat, and as you say it was ragged. Our father gave you that, went on Laddie, or he told one of his real estate men to do it. Yes, that's right, I remember now. I did beg a coat from a real estate office, said Mr. Gannon. And that was your father's place, was it? Well, I'm glad to meet you boys, your father was kind to me. But Pineville is a long way from here. It took me almost a month to walk it, stopping to work now and then. We came in the train, said Laddie, and I know a riddle about the conductor punching the tickets, but I don't know. Russ didn't want his brother to get to talking about riddles at a time like this, so he interrupted with. And have you got that ragged coat now, Mr. Tramp? I mean, Mr. Gannon? Have you got that coat now? Have I got that ragged coat, you mean, asked the man? Yes, our daddy wants it back. Mr. Gannon looked a bit surprised. Not to wear, explained Russ quickly. He doesn't want it to wear. You can keep it, I guess. But when he told the clerk in his office to give the coat to you, there were some papers in one of the pockets and real estate papers broke in, Laddie, remembering this part. Yes, real estate papers, said Russ. They were in the pocket of the old ragged coat, and my daddy would like awful much to get them back. Have you got the coat? Mr. Gannon did not speak for a moment or two. He seemed to be trying to think of something. Then, as Russ and Laddie looked at him, and as Zip sat looking at the cat, the red-haired Tramp lumberman said, Well, now it's a funny thing, but I have got that old coat yet. It's too ragged for me to wear. It got a lot more ragged after your father gave it to me, but I sort of took a liking to it and I kept it. I've got it yet. Where is it, asked Russ eagerly? Right here in my cabin. Mr. Barker lets me stay here while I'm cutting down trees to build his dock. I like to be by myself. I've got the coat here, I'll get it. He went inside and came out a moment later with a ragged coat in his hand. It was tattered and torn. This is the coat your father gave me, said the lumberman, but I'm sorry to say there are no papers in the pockets. You can look yourself if you'd like. There isn't a paper at all. As Russ watched, the red-haired man thrust his hands first into one pocket and then into the others, but no papers came out. Russ looked sad and disappointed. So did Laddie. This is the coat all right that I got at a real estate office in Pineville, said Mr. Gannon, but every pocket was empty when I got it. I remember feeling in them. There were no papers at all. If there were ever any in the pockets, they must have dropped out before I got the coat. The pockets are full of holes anyhow. I'm sorry. So were Laddie and Russ. They watched while Mr. Gannon went through each pocket of the ragged coat once more, but it was of no use. No papers were to be found. Come on, Laddie, said Russ in a low voice to his brother, we'd better go back home. Goodbye, he called over his shoulder to the red-haired lumberman. Goodbye, answered Mr. Gannon. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I haven't your daddy's papers. End of Chapter 24 Chapter 25 of Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bells This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Nan Dodge. Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bells by Laura Lee Hope. Hooray! Slowly and sadly Russ and Laddie drove their dog cart back toward Grandma Bells' house. They went slowly because it was uphill from Green Pond, and Zip was tired. He had chased after a rabbit and a cat, and he had pulled Russ and Laddie all the way. No wonder the dog was tired, so the boys did not try to drive him fast. And the two boys were sad because, though they had found the right red-haired tramp lumberman, the same one that had Daddy Bunker's ragged coat, still the real estate papers were not in it. It's too bad, said Russ, as Zip walked along. Yes, agreed Laddie. I thought surely we'd get the papers Russ went on. And I didn't ask him any riddles, said Laddie. Oh, well, never mind that, went on Russ. Maybe I can ask him again, though, said Laddie, brightening up. We can have Daddy take us there, and I can ask him then. What would Daddy want to take us there for, asked Russ, to see the old coat? Maybe Mr. Gannon has another, and that has the papers in. I don't guess so, answered Russ. Get up, Zip. Zip didn't get up very fast, but he kept on going. And when he came to the top of the hill and began to trot down toward Lake Sagatok, he went faster. I think he knew he could have a good rest in the barn and also have some hot supper. For it was getting near to supper time. The sun was going down in the west, and in a little while it would be dark. Already the shadows were longer, and it was already a little dark when the boys drove through. Little patches of wood. But they did not get lost, for Zip knew the way back, and soon the dog cart was rattling up the gravel drive of Grandma Bell's house. There they come, cried a voice, and there was a general rush to the porch. Daddy and Mother Bunker with Grandma Bell, Jane the hired girl, and the four little bunkers looked at the wanderers. Where in the world have you two been, cried Mother Bunker? We were worried about you, said her husband. And we were just going to get Tom to hitch up the horse and go look for you, added Grandma Bell. Were you lost, Rose asked? Did the old ram chase you, if I wanted to know? Margie and Mun Bun toddled down the steps to look at Zip, who had stretched out on the grass, still hitched to the cart. Oh, his nose is all scratched, said Margie. Does it hurt you, Zip, she asked, gently patting him, and the dog wagged his tail. Did some other dog bite him, asked Mun Bun? No, a cat scratched him, answered Russ. What cat the children's mother wanted to know? It was the red-haired lumberman's cat Russ went on. We went to his cabin over at Green Pond where Mr. Barker lives. His name is Mike Gannon, the tramp lumberman, I mean. Mr. Herd told us about him, and we went to see him, and I forgot to ask him a riddle-broken laddie. Never mind about riddles now, my dear, said Mother Bunker softly. Let us hear what Russ is saying. Did you really find a red-haired tramp lumberman, asked Mr. Bunker? Yes, answered Russ, and he had your ragged coat, but the papers weren't in it, Daddy, and he was sorry, and so were we, and I'm hungry. So am I, added laddie, before the words were fairly out of his brother's mouth. I'm awful hungry. But what does it all mean, asked Mrs. Bunker? Have you two boys really been somewhere? We found the red-haired tramp lumberman, I told you, said Russ, but he didn't have those papers. Let me hear all about it once again, begged Daddy Bunker. He seemed as much excited as Russ and laddie had been when they first saw Mr. Gannon. First let me get them something to eat, said Grandma Bell. We had our supper, an early one, she went on, but I saved some for you boys. You shall eat first and then tell us your story. I guess Zip wants to eat too, said laddie. He didn't catch the rabbit and the cat scratched him. I'll have Jane give Zip a good supper, said Grandma Bell, and there is strawberry shortcake for you boys. Oh, good he 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. Herd, 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 that 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 the 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 tomorrow. 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 travelling 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 someone 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 Lattie, the two little bunkers who came to see me yesterday. All of us are here now, the whole of the six little bunkers, 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, but perhaps they dropped out. I guess they must have, said the lumberman. I never saw any of them. And I wore the coat right after you gave it to me. I'll get it and let you see for yourself. He set down his axe outside the log cabin and went in. Pretty soon he came out again with the ragged coat, the same one he had showed to Laddie and Russ. Here it is, said the red-haired tramp lumberman, as he handed the garment to Mr. Bunker. It's just as I got it from you. I don't wear it much now, as I have another. But you'll find no papers in the pockets. Yes, that's the old coat I used to wear around the office, said Mr. Bunker, as he took it from Mr. Gannon. And I'm sure I put those papers in the inside pocket. And then I forgot all about them. As he spoke he reached his hand down in the pocket of the old coat. The pocket must have been pretty deep for Daddy Bunker's hand went way down. Then a funny look came over the face of the father of the six little bunkers. He pulled out his thumb, and his whole hand, and instead of pulling out a plum as little Jack Horner did, Mr. Bunker pulled out the missing papers. Look what I found, he cried. Hooray! The very papers I want! Were they in the coat, asked the red-haired lumberman in amazement? They were, said Daddy Bunker, a way down inside the lining. They slipped through a hole in the pocket, and here they have been all this while in the lining of the old coat. And I never knew it, said Mr. Gannon. Are you sure they are the papers you want? The very ones answered Mr. Bunker, glancing at them, and they are worth a lot of money, too. I am very glad I found them. So am I, said the lumberman. I would hate to think I lost the papers out of the old coat, even though I didn't know they were in the lining. Well, I'm glad you have them back. Oh, but this is good luck, said Grandma Bell. And Russ and Lattie brought it to us, for they found out where the coat was, said Mother Bunker. But we wouldn't have known if Mr. Herd hadn't told us, said Russ. And maybe we wouldn't have come. Only Zip chased the rabbit, added Lattie. Well, it was good luck all around, and I have my papers back, said Daddy Bunker. And now we'll go on with the picnic. Daddy Bunker gave the lumberman some money, as his share in the good luck, and told him when he was through working for Mr. Barker, to come to Pineville. I'll give you work there, said the children's father. All right, I'll come, promised Mr. Gannon. And the next time anyone gives me an old coat, I'll look in the torn lining as well as in the pockets. And if I find any valuable papers, I can give them back right away. Then he told of having tramped from place to place after leaving Pineville, wearing the old coat, until he reached Green Pond. It's just like a story in a book, said Rose. Yes, it surely is, agreed Daddy Bunker, as he put the valuable papers into his coat pocket that had no hole in it. Then the six little bunkers and the others went on to a lovely spot on the shore of Green Pond and ate their picnic lunch. Oh, it's just lovely here, said Rose, as she gave Mun Bun another small piece of cake. I wish we could stay forever, added Lattie. I like it. I can think up awful good riddles here. It's fun to sail boats, said Russ, as he whistled a merry tune. And there are so many things to see and do at Grandma Bell's house, added Vi. I won't throw any more dollies down the well, promised Margie, who remembered her little trick. That's good, laughed Mother Bunker, but nice as it is we can't stay much longer. We are going somewhere else. Where, asked Russ eagerly, well, we have an invitation from your aunt to spend the last of July and part of August in Boston, said his mother. Would you like to go? We love Grandma Bell, but we would like to go to Boston, answered Rose. And what the children saw and did there you may learn by reading the next book in this series to be called Six Little Bunkers at Aunt Joe's. We did have such a lovely time, said Rose, on their homeward way, didn't we, Russ? Yes, and I'm glad Daddy got his papers. Oh, look! There goes a bunny! And he pointed. Margie, Mumbun, look! There's a bunny like the one zip chased, and Russ turned to the two small children. But Mumbun and Margie were fast asleep on the seat between Mother Bunker and Grandma Bell. End of Chapter 25, Recording by Nan Dodge. End of Six Little Bunkers at Grandma Bells by Laura Lee Hope.