It is whilst we are watching the dogs at play, just as Jack--lost no longer--is tripping away merrily over the stones of the yard, that we are entertained with numerous anecdotes by our genial guide. We hear of a devoted owner of a little pet terrier. Hers was but an instance of many who come several miles in search of their favourites. This lady travelled some six or seven miles every day for a week in the hopes of having this same little terrier returned to her. It was the last day of the week, and there was the affectionate owner scanning eagerly every dog that entered. At last the rumble of the wheels of the police van was heard, and when the door was opened, there amongst the other inmates lay a tiny creature in the corner fast asleep. "That's Dot! my little Dot!" cried the lady, and at the sound of her voice the wandering terrier jumped up, and seemed as though it would go mad ere one of the assistants could loosen its chain. Dot went away again with its mistress. [Illustration: THE KENNELS.] It is needless to say--to put it kindly--that wrongful appropriators of dogs occasionally pay a visit to Battersea, and a capital story is told of one of these gentry who had seen a kind-hearted policeman taking in a lost pug that same morning. "Good mornin', sir," said this worthy, entering the office; "I've lost my dawg, and if you don't mind, I should feel mich obliged if yer'd let me 'ave a look round the 'ome?" "What sort of a dog was it?" asked the secretary, coming in at that moment, and recognising the man as a well-known dog stealer. "When did you lose it?" "This mornin', sir. An' it's a pug, with a collar and studs and a blue ribbin round its neck." "Quite right--we had such a dog come in this morning," the secretary said. "Just wait a moment--sit down." Our friend from Whitechapel did, evidently much pleased with his tactics. In a few moments he was invited to step into the yard, where some four or five pugs were held in check by a keeper. "Which is yours?" was asked. "Vy, that's it, sir--that with the collar and blue ribbon round 'is neck. See 'ow 'e knows me!" When this enterprising gentleman was told that the dog he had chosen had been in the home a fortnight, and, further, that the collar and ribbon had been taken off the real dog's neck and temporarily decorated the throat of another animal, Whitechapel was somewhat abashed, and was glad to get away.