“Of course it’s only a bluff,” said Karr.  “Water-snakes always like to pretend that they know more than other creatures.”

When Karr was ready to go home, Grayskin accompanied him part of the way.  Presently Karr heard a thrush, perched on a pine top, cry: 

“There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest!  There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest!”

Karr thought that he had not heard correctly, but the next moment a hare came darting across the path.  When the hare saw them, he stopped, flapped his ears, and screamed: 

“Here comes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest!” Then he ran as fast as he could.

“What do they mean by that?” asked Karr.

“I really don’t know,” said Grayskin.  “I think that the small forest animals are displeased with me because I was the one who proposed that we should ask help of human beings.  When the underbrush was cut down, all their lairs and hiding places were destroyed.”

They walked on together a while longer, and Karr heard the same cry coming from all directions: 

“There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest!”

Grayskin pretended not to hear it; but Karr understood why the elk was so downhearted.

“I say, Grayskin, what does the water-snake mean by saying you killed the one he loved best?”

“How can I tell?” said Grayskin.  “You know very well that I never kill anything.”

Shortly after that they met the four old elk—­Crooked-Back, Antler-Crown, Rough-Mane, and Big-and-Strong, who were coming along slowly, one after the other.

“Well met in the forest!” called Grayskin.

“Well met in turn!” answered the elk.

“We were just looking for you, Grayskin, to consult with you about the forest.”

“The fact is,” began Crooked-Back, “we have been informed that a crime has been committed here, and that the whole forest is being destroyed because the criminal has not been punished.”

“What kind of a crime was it?”

“Some one killed a harmless creature that he couldn’t eat.  Such an act is accounted a crime in Liberty Forest.”

“Who could have done such a cowardly thing?” wondered Grayskin.

“They say that an elk did it, and we were just going to ask if you knew who it was.”

“No,” said Grayskin, “I have never heard of an elk killing a harmless creature.”

Grayskin parted from the four old elk, and went on with Karr.  He was silent and walked with lowered head.  They happened to pass Crawlie, the adder, who lay on his shelf of rock.

“There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the whole forest!” hissed Crawlie, like all the rest.

By that time Grayskin’s patience was exhausted.  He walked up to the snake, and raised a forefoot.

“Do you think of crushing me as you crushed the old water-snake?” hissed Crawlie.

“Did I kill a water-snake?” asked Grayskin, astonished.