Grayskin had lived for five summers on the game-keeper's place, when his
owner received a letter from a zooelogical garden abroad asking if the
elk might be purchased.

The master was pleased with the proposal, the game-keeper was
distressed, but had not the power to say no; so it was decided that the
elk should be sold. Karr soon discovered what was in the air and ran
over to the elk to have a chat with him. The dog was very much
distressed at the thought of losing his friend, but the elk took the
matter calmly, and seemed neither glad nor sorry.

"Do you think of letting them send you away without offering
resistance?" asked Karr.

"What good would it do to resist?" asked Grayskin. "I should prefer to
remain where I am, naturally, but if I've been sold, I shall have to go,
of course."

Karr looked at Grayskin and measured him with his eyes. It was apparent
that the elk was not yet full grown. He did not have the broad antlers,
high hump, and long mane of the mature elk; but he certainly had
strength enough to fight for his freedom.

"One can see that he has been in captivity all his life," thought Karr,
but said nothing.

Karr left and did not return to the grove till long past midnight. By
that time he knew Grayskin would be awake and eating his breakfast.

"Of course you are doing right, Grayskin, in letting them take you
away," remarked Karr, who appeared now to be calm and satisfied. "You
will be a prisoner in a large park and will have no responsibilities. It
seems a pity that you must leave here without having seen the forest.
You know your ancestors have a saying that 'the elk are one with the
forest.' But you haven't even been in a forest!"

Grayskin glanced up from the clover which he stood munching.

"Indeed, I should love to see the forest, but how am I to get over the
fence?" he said with his usual apathy.

"Oh, that is difficult for one who has such short legs!" said Karr.

The elk glanced slyly at the dog, who jumped the fence many times a
day--little as he was.

He walked over to the fence, and with one spring he was on the other
side, without knowing how it happened.

Then Karr and Grayskin went into the forest. It was a beautiful
moonlight night in late summer; but in among the trees it was dark, and
the elk walked along slowly.

"Perhaps we had better turn back," said Karr. "You, who have never
before tramped the wild forest, might easily break your legs." Grayskin
moved more rapi