4. If a player makes three steps at one stroke, he may take position as above up to two mallet lengths or less.
IV. The bridges must be passed through in their regular order in the direction of the course. (This is called running a bridge.)
1. A ball runs a bridge when it passes through it in order and course, by a direct blow, by roquet, roquet-croquet, croquet or concussion. Hence, for a player to drive his ball through a bridge out of its regular order, or from the wrong side counts no more than to pass over any other part of the field.
2. A ball is not through its bridge when the handle of the mallet laid across the two piers of the bridge upon the side from whence the ball came, touches the ball without moving the bridge.
3. A ball passing under its bridge in the wrong direction is not in position to run the bridge until it has passed clear through according to the foregoing rule.
4. A ball lying under a bridge is not in position for that bridge if it has been so placed by the hand for the purpose of croquet or roquet-croquet, no matter from what position it may have been taken.
[If the ball was taken from the back of the bridge, it would not be in position, having come from the wrong side, as above. Now if it should be allowed that a ball may be taken from the front of the bridge and placed under the bridge without losing position, as would at first seem proper, then the question immediately arises as to a ball when taken from a position directly on a line with the two piers of the bridge, thus coming from neither front nor back. This question can rarely be settled without dispute, to avoid which we have considered the adoption of the above rule as most judicious.]
V. Tolling the turning post is in all respects equivalent to running a bridge, but the post may be tolled from any quarter.
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Striking Out.