Any player caught (tagged) is placed in the opponents' prison ("prisoner's base"), where he must remain until rescued by one of his own side. The prisoner may reach as far out of the prison as possible, so long as one foot is within it. When there are several prisoners, they may take hold of hands or otherwise touch each other, as by the feet (this is optional with the prisoners), and reach forward as far as possible, to be tagged by a rescuer, so long as one of them (the last caught) keeps one foot within the prison goal. In such a line the first one caught should be farthest from the prison, the next one caught holding his hand, and so on in the order of capture. A guard should always be at hand to intercept any attempts at rescue. A prisoner and his rescuer may not be tagged while returning home, but the rescuer may be tagged before he touches the prisoner. One rescuer may free only one prisoner at a time. Whenever a player is caught, all of the others return to their home goals (except prisoners), and a fresh start is made in the game.
Much finessing is possible by engaging the enemy on one side of the ground, while a good runner is held in reserve to dash into the enemy's goal on the other side. Or one player may, by a wide detour, creep around unnoticed to the rear of the enemy's goal and enter it from that side.
Each side should have a captain to maintain discipline, to take general direction of the game, and to decide with the opposing captain any disputed points.
This game is more complicated than the one of the same name previously described. It is well for beginners to start with the first game. The author can testify from vivid recollections the hold which this form of the game may have for successive seasons on its devotees. Sometimes a "dare line" is drawn a few feet in front of each home goal, which challenges the opponents to a special thrill of venturesomeness. The game in this form, as a small boy said to the author, is "the national game of Minneapolis."
PRISONER'S BASE—III
6 to 30 or more players.
Playground; gymnasium.
Prisoner's Base—III
The ground is divided according to the accompanying diagram; the players, who are divided into two equal parties, with a captain for each party, being stationed respectively in the goals marked A and B, which are at the same end of the ground instead of at opposite ends, as in Prisoners' Base II. In the present form of the game, the prison belonging to each side is located directly opposite its own home goal at the farther end of the ground, instead of near its own goal, as in II. Rescue of a prisoner is by entry of the opponent's prison, not by tagging the prisoners; so there is no object in the prisoner's reaching out of the prison, as in the previous forms of the game.