dly and with more courage.

Karr conducted the elk to a part of the forest where the pines grew so
thickly that no wind could penetrate them.

"It is here that your kind are in the habit of seeking shelter from cold
and storm," said Karr. "Here they stand under the open skies all winter.
But you will fare much better where you are going, for you will stand in
a shed, with a roof over your head, like an ox."

Grayskin made no comment, but stood quietly and drank in the strong,
piney air.

"Have you anything more to show me, or have I now seen the whole
forest?" he asked.

Then Karr went with him to a big marsh, and showed him clods and
quagmire.

"Over this marsh the elk take flight when they are in peril," said Karr.
"I don't know how they manage it, but, large and heavy as they are, they
can walk here without sinking. Of course you couldn't hold yourself up
on such dangerous ground, but then there is no occasion for you to do
so, for you will never be hounded by hunters."

Grayskin made no retort, but with a leap he was out on the marsh, and
happy when he felt how the clods rocked under him. He dashed across the
marsh, and came back again to Karr, without having stepped into a
mudhole.

"Have we seen the whole forest now?" he asked.

"No, not yet," said Karr.

He next conducted the elk to the skirt of the forest, where fine oaks,
lindens, and aspens grew.

"Here your kind eat leaves and bark, which they consider the choicest
of food; but you will probably get better fare abroad."

Grayskin was astonished when he saw the enormous leaf-trees spreading
like a great canopy above him. He ate both oak leaves and aspen bark.

"These taste deliciously bitter and good!" he remarked. "Better than
clover!"

"Then wasn't it well that you should taste them once?" said the dog.

Thereupon he took the elk down to a little forest lake. The water was as
smooth as a mirror, and reflected the shores, which were veiled in thin,
light mists. When Grayskin saw the lake he stood entranced.

"What is this, Karr?" he asked.

It was the first time that he had seen a lake.

"It's a large body of water--a lake," said Karr. "Your people swim
across it from shore to shore. One could hardly expect you to be
familiar with this; but at least you should go in and take a swim!"

Karr, himself, plunged into the water for a swim. Grayskin stayed back
on the shore for some little time, but finally followed. He grew
breathless with