7 JANUARY 1938, Page 20

A Tall Dog Story

This Christmas (which is, of course, a story-telling season) I was told with full detail and great conviction the tallest story of a dog's intelligence and skill in orientation that is in my annals, at any rate. The mongrel dog was left behind in a London flat while its owners went to spend a few days in St. Albans. When they returned to London the dog was missing but after a while reappeared. A letter came from St. Albans. Soon after the visitors had left, the dog was found sitting on the steps of the bank over which the hosts lived. As soon as the door was opened the dog rushed from room to room ; but not finding those he sought, escaped again into the street and made his weary way back to the London flat. The St. Albans bank and the London flat are just twenty miles apart. The dog, of course, had known the St. Albans house but had only been taken there by train or car.