. All the geese had come out of the lake, and stood talking
with an old dog, who was so weak and decrepit that it seemed as if he
might drop dead at any moment.

"There's Karr," said Bataki to the boy. "Let him hear first what the
wild geese have to say to him; later we shall tell him that the
water-snake is dead."

Presently they heard Akka talking to Karr.

"It happened last year while we were making our usual spring trip,"
remarked the leader-goose. "We started out one morning--Yksi, Kaksi, and
I, and we flew over the great boundary forests between Dalecarlia and
Haelsingland. Under us we, saw only thick pine forests. The snow was
still deep among the trees, and the creeks were mostly frozen.

"Suddenly we noticed three poachers down in the forest! They were on
skis, had dogs in leash, carried knives in their belts, but had no guns.

"As there was a hard crust on the snow, they did not bother to take the
winding forest paths, but skied straight ahead. Apparently they knew
very well where they must go to find what they were seeking.

"We wild geese flew on, high up in the air, so that the whole forest
under us was visible. When we sighted the poachers we wanted to find out
where the game was, so we circled up and down, peering through the
trees. Then, in a dense thicket, we saw something that looked like big,
moss-covered rocks, but couldn't be rocks, for there was no snow on
them.

"We shot down, suddenly, and lit in the centre of the thicket. The three
rocks moved. They were three elk--a bull and two cows--resting in the
bleak forest.

"When we alighted, the elk bull rose and came toward us. He was the
most superb animal we had ever seen. When he saw that it was only some
poor wild geese that had awakened him, he lay down again.

"'No, old granddaddy, you mustn't go back to sleep!' I cried. 'Flee as
fast as you can! There are poachers in the forest, and they are bound
for this very deer fold.'

"'Thank you, goose mother!' said the elk. He seemed to be dropping to
sleep while he was speaking. 'But surely you must know that we elk are
under the protection of the law at this time of the year. Those poachers
are probably out for fox,' he yawned.

"'There are plenty of fox trails in the forest, but the poachers are not
looking for them. Believe me, old granddaddy! They know that you are
lying here, and are coming to attack you. They have no guns with
them--only spears and knives--for they dare not fire a sho