"Schlaglaufen."
"My jaw is broken," and Dick rapidly raised his left hand, laying it with a piteous cry across his lower jaw.
At this action Joe gave him a sharp look; and then came the words. "You needn't be so gay," and again the boys laughed merrily, Joe afterwards adding, "Well, another name for the game, and a much more pronounceable one, is 'Running for the Cap,' because a post is fixed in the ground, and on it a cap is placed and run for. The boys must be equally divided; one set is called catchers, the other runners, and these sets must stand fifty yards apart. The catchers' 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."
The rest of the time Dick spent in Joe's room was given to marble-playing. Both boys were experts, and it was oftener than otherwise a tie game rather than that either boy could honestly be counted as being ahead of the other. Indeed, so evenly they played, it was a great delight to play without other boys being in the game, and, therefore, whenever there was opportunity, they, so to speak, challenged each other. Joe's floor was carpeted in a square pattern measuring six inches each way. Having selected a convenient square, an agate was placed in each of three angles, counting the nearest one ten, the middle twenty, and the other thirty. Two marbles were then rolled from the fourth angle, the inside marble being on the angle, the other immediately back of it, the object being to hit each agate with both marbles. For this five shots were allowed. When done the numbers were counted and the agates replaced for the next player. This amusement was succeeded by the three following games:
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 enclosure, 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.
Five-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.
Circle Game.—Make a target of brown wrapping-paper, and put the number 100 on the bull's eye. Outside of this mark five rings, making the largest one two feet in diameter, the others proportionately smaller. Inside of these rings put the numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, the centre as stated, being 100. Mark out a space on the ground for a base five feet away; place the target on the ground, blindfold a player, lead him to the base, turn him around twice, and leave him facing the target. He is now entitled to roll three marbles, and then remove the blindfold. His count will be the added numbers in the rings at which his marbles have stopped. Should any of them stop on a line, he is entitled to the largest number adjoining. No marbles must be moved, and each boy has the privilege of trying the ground once with each marble, before being blindfolded.