The boys must be equally divided; one set is called catchers, the other runners, and these sets must stand fifty yards apart. The catcher’s position is thirty yards from the post, and the runners’ twenty. The call, one, two, three, is given, and on the second three is spoken one boy from each party runs to the post. The runner will naturally get there first, and he has to put the cap on his head, and then replace it. He must do this with the utmost rapidity, as, should the catcher overtake him on his way back to the position which he held before starting to run, the boy becomes the catcher’s prisoner, and can no longer play.
FIRE-ARCH DISCOUNT GAME.
A strip of wood two inches thick, five inches wide, and one yard long will be required. In this cut five arches, making the centre one four inches in width, the others three inches each; stand it up on the floor or on a table, and make the starting-point six feet away. Four marbles may be rolled by each player. When a marble goes through the centre arch it counts sixty, but if, instead, it goes through either of the small arches, thirty is counted off. If a marble fails to pass through either, it is counted out of the game, and must be removed. The next turn around, the player will use only three instead of four marbles. The boy who has the highest tally has won; should there be a tie, they must roll again.
This game requires practice, or some players will find that they have lost more than they have made.
THE BAGATELLE BOARD COUNT GAME.
Chalk a floor or mark a space in exact copy of a bagatelle-board ten feet long by three wide. In the inclosure, at correct distances, mark the numbers; this may be done with chalk, or the numbers may be painted on thin wooden blocks and laid in position. Each player must start his marble at the extreme left-hand corner, and state before starting the number he wishes to roll to. Should the marble go to that number, and not roll on so as to touch another, the player counts the number selected, and can then state another number and play for that, and can so continue for seven minutes, provided his marble always hits the number selected, and though rolling on, does not touch or stop at any other. When his time is up his count is scored, and the next player follows, subject to the same rules. Should the marble stop on the number selected, it is counted double in favor of the player. Again, should the marble, having reached the selected number, still roll on and touch another, no count is allowed, and the player must stop until his turn comes again.
FUNNY QUESTIONS WITH FUNNY ANSWERS.
All the players stand in a circle and join hands.
The tallest one in the room whispers a question to her right-hand neighbor, who answers her in a whisper, and then turns and asks her right-hand neighbor a question, who replies in like manner. When questions and answers have all gone around, the party who commenced states aloud the question her left-hand neighbor asked, and the reply her right-hand neighbor gave.
Example: Suppose three players.