Display.—The Diamond Thief, p. [140].
Games.—Observation, pp. [84], [85], [86]; Far and Near, p. [86]; Spot the Thief, p. [99]; Smugglers Over the Border, p. [100].
Alarm. "Stop Thief."—This is similar to the game of "Hostile Spy," in the "Birchbark Roll of Woodcraft Indians," by Mr. Thompson Seton. A red rag is hung up in the camp or room in the morning: the umpire goes round to each scout in turn, while they are at work or play and whispers to him, "There is a thief in the camp"; but to one he whispers, "There is a thief in the camp, and you are he—Marble Arch," or some other well-known spot about a mile away. That scout then knows that he must steal the rag at any time within the next three hours, and bolt with it to the Marble Arch. Nobody else knows who is to be the thief, where he will run to, and when he will steal it. Directly anyone notices that the red rag is stolen, he gives the alarm, and all stop what they may be doing at the time, and dart off in pursuit of the thief. The scout who gets the rag or a bit of it wins. If none succeed in doing this, the thief wins. He must carry the rag tied round his neck, and not in his pocket or hidden away.
WOODCRAFT.
Games and Practices.—Scout Hunting, Dispatch Running, Deer Stalking, Stalking and Reporting, see pp. [114], [115]; Observation of Animals, p. [134]; Lion Hunting, p. [134]; Plant Race, p. [139]; Scout meets Scout, p. [53].
"Track the Assassin."—The assassin escapes after having stabbed his victim, carrying in his hand the dripping dagger. The remainder, a minute later, start out to track him by the drops of blood (represented by Indian corn or peas) which fall at every third pace. His confederate (the umpire) tells him beforehand where to make for, and if he gets there without being touched by his pursuers, over eight minutes ahead of them, he wins. If they never reach his confederate, neither side wins.
Relay Race.—One patrol pitted against another to see who can get a message sent a long distance in shortest time by means of relays of runners (or cyclists). The patrol is ordered out to send in three successive notes, or tokens (such as sprigs of certain plants), from a point, say, two miles distant or more. The leader in taking his patrol out to the spot drops scouts at convenient distances, who will then act as runners from one post to the next and back. If relays are posted in pairs messages can be passed both ways.
"Spider and Fly."—A bit of country or section of the town about a mile square is selected as the web, and its boundaries described, and an hour fixed at which operations are to cease.
One patrol (or half-patrol) is the "spider," which goes out and selects a place to hide itself.
The other patrol (or half-patrol) goes a quarter of an hour later as the "fly" to look for the "spider." They can spread themselves about as they like, but must tell their leader anything that they discover.