"I don't mean the newspaper," went on Russ, for the other little Bunkers were leaving the talking to him. "But did you bring back the real estate papers?"
"The real estate papers?" murmured the tramp, looking around.
"'Tisn't any riddle," added Laddie. "Is it, Russ?"
"No, it isn't a riddle," went on the older boy. "But did you bring back daddy's papers that he gave you?"
"He didn't give me any papers!" exclaimed the tramp.
"They were in a ragged coat," added Rose. "In the pocket."
The tramp looked at his own coat.
"This is ragged enough," he said, "but it hasn't any papers in it that I know of. I guess they'd fall out of the pockets if there was any," he added. "This coat is nothing but holes. I guess you don't know who I am. I'm a hungry man and——"
"Aren't you a lumberman, and didn't my father give you an old coat the other day?" asked Russ.
The tramp shook his head.