"So'm 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, 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.