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dogs that learn the Law by instinct； and that remember for all time a command or a prohibition once given them。
For example：On his second day at the Place； he made a furious rush at a neurotic mother hen and her golden convoy of chicks。 The Mistress；luckily for all concerned；was within call。 At her sharp summons the puppy wheeled； midway in his charge； and trotted back to her。 Severely； yet trying not to laugh at his worried aspect； she scolded Lad for his misdeed。
An hour later； as Lad was scampering ahead of her； past the stables； they rounded a corner and came flush upon the same nerve…wrecked hen and her brood。 Lad halted in his scamper； with a suddenness that made him skid。 Then； walking as though on eggs； he made an idiotically wide circle about the feathered dam and her silly chicks。 Never thereafter did he assail any of the Place's fowls。
It was the same； when he sprang up merrily at a line of laundry； flapping in alluring invitation from the drying ground lines。 A single word of rebuke；and thenceforth the family wash was safe from him。
And so on with the myriad perplexing 〃Don'ts〃 which spatter the career of a fun…loving collie pup。 Versed in the patience…fraying ways of pups in general； the Mistress and the Master marveled and bragged and praised。
All day and every day； life was a delight to the little dog。 He had friends everywhere； willing to romp with him。 He had squirrels to chase； among the oaks。 He had the lake to splash ecstatically in： He had all he wanted to eat； and he had all the petting his hungry little heart could crave。
He was even allowed； with certain restrictions； to come into the mysterious house itself。 Nor； after one defiant bark at a leopard…skin rug； did he molest anything therein。 In the house； too； he found a genuine cave：a wonderful place to lie and watch the world at large； and to stay cool in and to pretend he was a wolf。 The cave was the deep space beneath the piano in the music room。 It seemed to have a peculiar charm to Lad。 To the end of his days； by the way； this cave was his chosen resting place。 Nor； in his lifetime； did any other dog set foot therein。
So much for 〃all day and every day。〃 But the nights were different。
Lad hated the nights。 In the first place； everybody went to bed and left him alone。 In the second； his hard…hearted owners made him sleep on a fluffy rug in a corner of the veranda instead of in his delectable piano…cave。 Moreover； there was no food at night。 And there was nobody to play with or to go for walks with or to listen to。 There was nothing but gloom and silence and dullness。 When a puppy takes fifty cat…naps in the course of the day； he cannot always be expected to sleep the night through。 It is too much to ask。 And Lad's waking hours at night were times of desolation and of utter boredom。 True； he might have consoled himself； as does many a lesser pup； with voicing his woes in a series of melancholy howls。 That； in time； would have drawn plenty of human attention to the lonely youngster； even if the attention were not wholly flattering。
But Lad did not belong to the howling type。 When he was unhappy； he waxed silent。 And his sorrowful eyes took on a deeper woe。 By the way； if there is anything more sorrowful than the eyes of a collie pup that has never known sorrow； I have yet to see it。
No； Lad could not howl。 And he could not hunt for squirrels。 For these enemies of his were not content with the unsportsmanliness of climbing out of his reach in the daytime； when he chased them； but they added to their sins by joining the rest of the world；except Lad；in sleeping all night。 Even the lake that was so friendly by day was a chilly and forbidding playfellow on the cool North Jersey nights。
There was nothing for a poor lonely pup to do but stretch out on his rug and stare in unhappy silence up the driveway； in the impossible hope that someone might happen along through the darkness to play with him。
At such an hour and in such lonesomeness； Lad would gladly have tossed aside all prejudices of caste；and all his natural dislikes； and would have frolicked in mad joy with the veriest stranger。 Anything was better than this drear solitude throughout the million hours before the first of the maids should be stirring or the first of the farmhands report for work。 Yes； night was a disgusting time； and it had not one single redeeming trait for the puppy。
Lad was not even consoled by the knowledge that he was guarding the slumbrous house。 He was not guarding it。 He had not the very remotest idea what it meant to be a watchdog。 In all his five months he had never learned that there is unfriendliness in the world； or that there is anything to guard a house against。
True； it was instinctive with him to bark when People came down the drive； or appeared at the gates without warning。 But more than once the Master had bidden him be silent when a rackety Puppy salvo of barking had broken in on the arrival of some guest。 And Lad was still in perplexed doubt as to whether barking was something forbidden or merely limited。
One night；a solemn； black； breathless August night； when half…visible heat lightning turned the murk of the western horizon to pulses of dirty sulphur； Lad awoke from a fitful dream of chasing squirrels which had never learned to climb。
He sat up on his rug； blinking around through the gloom in the half hope that some of those non…climbing squirrels might still be in sight。 As they were not； he sighed unhappily and prepared to lay his classic young head back again on the rug for another spell of night…shortening sleep。
But； before his head could touch the rug； he reared it and half of his small body from the floor and focused his nearsighted eyes on the driveway。 At the same time； his tail began to wag a thumping welcome。
Now； by day； a dog cannot see so far nor so clearly as can a human。 But by night；for comparatively short distances；he can see much better than can his master。 By day or by darkness； his keen hearing and keener scent make up for all defects of eyesight。
And now three of Lad's senses told him he was no longer alone in his tedious vigil。 Down the drive； moving with amusing slowness and silence； a man was coming。 He was on foot。 And he was fairly well dressed。 Dogs； the foremost snobs in creation；are quick to note the difference between a well…clad and a disreputable stranger。
Here unquestionably was a visitor：some such man as so often came to the Place and paid such flattering attention to the puppy。 No longer need Lad be bored by the solitude of this particular night。 Someone was coming towards the house；and carrying a small bag under his arm。 Someone to make friends with。 Lad was very happy。
Deep in his throat a welcoming bark was born。 But he stilled it。 Once； when he had barked at the approach of a stranger； the stranger had gone away。 If this stranger were to go away； all the night's fun would go with him。 Also； no later than yesterday； the Master had scolded Lad for barking at a man who had called。 Wherefore the dog held his peace。
Getting to his feet and stretching himself； fore and aft； in true collie fashion； the pup gamboled up the drive to meet the visitor。
The man was feeling his way through the pitch darkness； groping cautiously； halting once or twice for a smolder of lightning to silhouette the house he was nearing。 In a wooded lane； a quarter mile away； his lightless motor car waited。
Lad trotted up to him； the tiny white feet noiseless in the soft dust of the drive。 The man did not see him； but passed so close to the dog's hospitably upthrust nose that he all but touched it。
Only slightly rebuffed at such chill lack of cordiality； Lad fell in behind him； tail awag； and followed him to the porch。 When the guest should ring the bell； the Master or one of the maids would come to the door。 There would be lights and talk； and perhaps Laddie himself might be allowed to slip in to his beloved cave。
But the man did not ring。 He did not stop at the door at all。 On tiptoe he skirted the veranda to the old…fashioned bay windows at the south side of the living room； windows with catches as old…fashioned and as simple to open as themselves。
Lad padded along； a pace or so to the rear；still hopeful of being petted or perhaps even romped with。 The man gave a faint but promising sign of intent to romp； by swinging his small and very shiny brown bag to and fro as he walked。 Thus ever did the Master swing Lad's precious canton flannel doll before throwing it for him to retrieve。 Lad made a tentative snap at the bag； his tail wagging harder than ever。 But he missed it。 And； in another moment the man stopped swinging the bag and tucked it under his arm again as he began to mumble with a bit of steel。
There was the very faintest of clicks。 Then； noiselessly the window slid upward。 A second fumbling sent the wooden inside shutters ajar。 The man worked with no uncertainty。 Ever since his visit to the Place； a week earlier； behind the aegis of a big and bright and newly forged telephone…inspector badge； he had carried in his trained memory the location of windows and of obstructing furniture and of the primitive small safe in the living room wall； with its pitifully pickable lock；the sa