19 MAY 1923, Page 21

According to Gibson. By Denis Mackail. (Heinemann. 7s. 6d.) Gibson,

the club bore whose stories are here related, is a kind of Chestertonian character, and we expect him to turn out to be the Archangel Gabriel or the old man of the sea, but Mr. Mackail's imagination is less fantastic if more probable, and his identity is ingenious if not transcendental. The best of Gibson's tales, all of which he pretended were true, is the ghost story, though most are good and written in Mr. Mackail's usual attractive manner with flashes of real irony and wit. We feel we should like to hear more of Rufus the dog ; he sounds a charming character ; perhaps he will " feature " in Mr. Mackail's next book ?