90 INSTINCT OR REASON ? 
before retiring to rest, Mr. Potter, with his friend, saw the dog 
Ponto comfortably and duly locked in for the night. Early next 
morning Mr. Potter was up, aud his first solicitude was to see 
after his dog. On arriving at the cow house no familiar greeting 
met his ear; he unlocked the door, entered the calves’ pen, but 
no Ponto was there. A hole gnawed through the boards 
showed his way of exit; calling, whistling, was of no avail. 
Potter fretted and lamented, while the captain gave encourage- 
ment that all would be right. Mr. Potter posted a letter, and in 
a few days received the cheering answer from the housekeeper 
that Ponto was quite safe lying comfortably on the hearth rug, 
and that on opening the door the next morning after his de- 
parture, the dog was found waiting for admission. The journey 
from Mitcham was upwards of thirty miles, the river Thames 
intervening. The dog had ridden to Chorley, but in one night 
found its way home. 
Ruthven, a Bow-street officer, well known in his day for the 
part he took in the apprehension of the Cato-street conspirators 
in 18—, related to me that when a young man, he had a terrier 
of the black-and-tan breed. Mr. Ruthven resided in lodgings 
consisting of one room, in ————— Street, London. His atten- 
dance being required at the sessions held at Kingston-on- 
Thames, to give evidence ugainst some burglars, he locked his 
dog Blucher up in his room, walked to Gracechurch-street, 
where he took one of the two-horse stages, riding outside, for 
Kingston. He had been there for a few hours attending in court, 
when one of his brother officers said to him “ Ruthven, have you 
your dog with you?” “No,” says he, ‘‘I left him at home.’ 
‘‘ Well,” says his friend, ‘“‘he is here, for I saw him looking 
about among the people, as if he wanted to find some one;” 
‘‘Tmpossible!”” says Ruthven. ‘It’s true,” says his friend, 
‘‘he came up tome and I called him by his name, and patted him ; 
you had better come and find him.” Ruthven came amongst the 
people, and in less than five minutes his favourite dog Blucher 
found him and showed himself much delighted in recognising 
his master. Ruthven, on his return to his lodgings, found that 
