Slowly and sadly Russ and Laddie drove their dog-cart back toward Grandma Bell's 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 riddle," 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."