Chapter 2

And here comes a chopper to chop off the last—last—last—last man's head.

Another shorter verse which is often sung is,

London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down,London Bridge is falling down. My fair lady.

In this case the two players who make the arch with their arms can choose any eatables they like—"ice cream" and "oysters." The players who are caught are asked which they prefer and their places are back of the one representing their choice. The captured player is then asked in a whisper which he will be, oranges or lemons? and if he says oranges, is placed accordingly behind that one of his capturers who is tohave the oranges on his side. The procession and the rhyme begin again, and so on until all are caught and are ranged on their respective sides. Then a handkerchief is placed on the floor between the captains of the oranges and the lemons, and both sides pull, as in the "Tug of War" (page 38), until one side is pulled over the handkerchief.

The players sit round the room in a large circle, and, after appointing a postmaster to write down their names and call out the changes, choose each a town. One player is then blindfolded and placed in the middle. The game begins when the postmaster calls out the first journey, thus, "The post is going from Putney to Hongkong." The player who has chosen Putney and the player who has chosen Hongkong must then change places without being caught by the blind man, or without letting him get into either of their chairs first. Otherwise the player who is caught, or who ought to be in that chair, becomes the blind man. Every now and then "General Post" is called, when all the players have to change seats at the same time; and this gives the blind man an excellent chance.

A tin plate, to serve as platter, is placed in the middle of the room. The players sit round it in a large circle, each choosing either a number by which to be known, or the name of a town. The game is begun by one player taking up the plate, spinning it, calling out a number or town belonging to another, and hurrying back to his place. The one called has to spring up and reach the plate before it falls, and, giving it a fresh spin, call some one else. So it goes on. On paper there seems to be little in it, but inactual play the game is good on account of the difficulty of quite realizing that it is one's own borrowed name that has been called.

This is a variety of "Spin the platter." The players sit in a ring and choose each the name of some kitchen utensil or something used in cooking, such as meat-chopper or raisins. One player then goes in the middle with a bunched-up handkerchief, and this he throws at some one, at the same time trying to say the name of that some one's kitchen utensil three times before that some one can say it once. If, as very often happens, the player at whom the handkerchief is thrown is so completely bewildered as to have lost the power of speech or memory until it is too late, he must change places with the one in the middle.

The players sit on opposite sides of a table, or in two opposite rows of chairs with a cloth spread over their laps. A quarter or dime or other small object is then passed about among the hands of one of the sides under the table or cloth. At the word "Up Jenkins!" called by the other side all these hands tightly clenched must be at once placed in view on the table or the cloth. The first player on the other side then carefully scans the faces of his opponents to see if any one bears an expression which seems to betray his possession of the quarter, and, having made up his mind, reaches over and touches the hand in which he hopes the quarter is, saying, "Tip it." The hand is then opened. If the guess is right the guessing side take the quarter and hide it. If wrong, the same side hide it again, and the second player on the guessing side tries his luck at discovering its whereabouts. A score is decided on before the game begins, andthe winning side is that which make the fewest number of wrong guesses.

Another way to play "Up Jenkins" is to have the players, equally divided, sit opposite each other at a table. A quarter is then passed along under the table by one side or team. At the command "Up Jenkins," given by the captain of the other side, chosen beforehand, all the players on the side having the coin must lift their hands above the table; and at the command "Down Jenkins," also given by the captain, all the hands must be brought down flat on the table. The greater the bang with which this is done, the less chance of detecting the sound of the metal striking the table. The captain then orders the players to raise their hands one by one, his object being to leave the coin in the last hand. If he succeeds, his side takes the coin; if he fails, the other side score the number of hands still left on the table, and again hide the coin. Another person then becomes captain. If the coin can be "spotted" in a certain hand, either by sight or sound, before a hand has been removed, it has to be forfeited, and the side that wins it adds double the number of hands of the other side to their score. If it is "spotted" and is not in that hand, the side still retains the coin, and also score double the number of hands. If anybody obeys any one else but the captain, in raising, lowering or removing his hands, his side loses the coin, no matter who holds it, but neither side scores.

All the players but one form a circle, with their hands on a piece of string on which a ring has been threaded. The other player stands in the middle of the circle. The ring is then hurried up and down the string from end to end, the objectbeing to keep its whereabouts hidden from the other player.

In this game, which is usually played by girls, one player hides her eyes, while the others, who are sitting in a row, pass a ball from one to another until it is settled who shall keep it. This done, they all hide their hands in their laps, as if each one had it; and the other player is called, her aim being to discover in whose hands the ball is hidden. She examines the faces of the others very closely until she makes up her mind which one probably has the ball, and then addresses that one thus—

Lady Queen Anne, she sits in the sun,As fair as a lily, as brown as a bun,She sends you three letters and prays you'll read one.

To this the player replies—

I cannot read one unless I read all;

and the seeker answers—

Then pray, Miss [whatever the name is], deliver the ball.

If the ball really is with this player, the seeker and she change places, but otherwise the seeker hides her eyes again and the ball changes hands (or not). And so on until it is found.

Another way is for sides to be taken, one consisting of Queen Anne and her maids and the other of gipsies. The gipsies have the ball first, and, having hidden it, they advance in a line toward Queen Anne, each holding up her skirts as if the ball were there, singing—

Lady Queen Anne, she sits in the sun,As fair as a lily, as brown as a bun.King John has sent you letters three,And begs you'll read one unto me.

Lady Queen Anne and her maids reply—

We cannot read one unless we read all,So pray, Miss [whatever the name of the player chosen may be], deliver the ball.

If they have hit upon the right player she goes over to Queen Anne's side. But if not, the gipsies sing—

The ball is mine, it is not thine,So you, proud Queen, sit still on your throne,While we poor gipsies go and come.

They then turn round and hide the ball again.

A very exhausting game. The players sit round a table and form sides, one half against the other, and a little fluffy feather is placed in the middle. The aim of each side is to blow the feather so that it settles in the other camp, and to keep it from settling in their own.

The same game can be played with a marble on a table from which the table-cloth has been removed. In this case you all sink your faces to the level of the table.

The players sit in a long line or ring. The first, turning to the second, whispers very rapidly some remark or a brief story. The second, who may hear it distinctly, but probably does not, then whispers it as exactly as he can to the third player; and so on until the line is finished. The last player then whispers it to the first player; and the first player repeats his original remark to the company, and follows it with the form in which it has just reached him.

All the players sit in a ring, except one, who stands in the middle holding a soft cushion. This he throws at any one of the players and begins to count ten. The person at whom thecushion was thrown must call out the words of a well-known advertisement before ten is reached. If he fails he must pay a forfeit.

The players, or jury, form up in two rows facing each other. The judge sits at one end, or passes between the two lines, and asks his questions. These may be of any description. Perhaps he will say, "Miss A, do you think it will rain to-morrow?" Now although the judge addresses Miss A and looks at her, it is not she who must answer but the player opposite to her. And he in his answer is not allowed to say either "Yes," "No," "Black," "White," or "Gray." If the player who was addressed answers she becomes judge and the judge takes her seat; or if the opposite player does not answer before the judge has counted ten he becomes judge and the judge takes his seat.

The players sit in a circle, and the game begins by one player turning to the next and asking a question. Perhaps it will be, "Did you get very wet this evening?" The answer may be, "Fortunately I had a mackintosh." The second player then asks the third, and so on round the circle until it comes to the first player's turn to be asked a question by the last one. Perhaps this question will be, "I hope your cousin is better?" All these questions and answers have to be very carefully remembered, because on the circle being complete each player in turn has to repeat the question which was put to her and the answer which she received to the question which she herself put. Thus in the present instance the first player would announce that the question was, "I hope your cousin is better?" and the answer, "Fortunately I had a mackintosh." Another variety of cross question is played as follows. The company is divided into two parts, and standfacing each other. A leader is chosen for each side, one to give the questions and one to give the answers. One goes down his side giving to each player in a whisper some serious question which he must ask of his opposite in the other line. The other leader whispers to each of his players an absurd answer. Then the play begins. The first in line asks his opponent his question and receives the absurd answer three times. If either of them smile he is put out of the game. The person who can keep a straight face to the last, wins the prize. After the whole line has asked and answered the first set of questions, the first couple become the leaders, and propound two other sets of questions and answers. And so on until only two are left.

One player has his eyes blinded and stands in a circle made by the other players. They dance silently around him until he points at one, who must then enter the circle and try to avoid being caught by the blind man. The pursuer calls out from time to time "Ruth!" to which the pursued must always answer at once "Jacob!" at the same time trying to dodge quickly enough to escape the other's immediate rush to the spot. After the "Ruth" is caught, the "Jacob" must guess who it is and if he guesses right, the "Ruth" is blindfolded and becomes the "Jacob," and the game begins anew.

The player who is chosen as leader sits down and places the first finger of her right hand on her knee. The others crowd round her and also place the first finger of their right hands on her knee, close to hers. The game is for the leader to raise her finger suddenly, saying, "Fly away [something]." If that something is not capable of flight the other fingers must not move, but if it can fly they must rise also. Thus, "Fly away, thrush!" "Fly away, pigeon!" "Fly away, butterfly!"should cause all the fingers to spring up. But of "Fly away, omnibus!" "Fly away, cat!" "Fly away, pig!" no notice should be taken. The game is, of course, to catch players napping.

This is a very confusing game of contraries for five players. Four of them hold each the corner of a handkerchief. The other, who stands by to give orders, then shouts either "Let go!" or "Hold fast!" When "Let go!" is called, the handkerchief must be held as firmly as ever; but when "Hold fast!" it must be dropped. The commands should be given quickly and now and then repeated to add to the anxiety of the other players.

In this game one player represents a sergeant and the others are soldiers whom he is drilling. When he makes an action and says "Do this" the others have to imitate him; but if he says "Do that" they must take no notice.

The players sit about on the floor or on chairs, each holding out on his knee his clenched fist with the thumb sticking straight up. One player calls out "Simon says thumbs down." All the thumbs must be instantly reversed. Then he tries to confuse them by alternating between up and down for some time until they all get into the way of expecting the change, and then he gives the same order twice in succession. Those who make a mistake pay a forfeit. If he calls out simply "Thumbs up" or "Thumbs down" no attention must be paid to this order as a forfeit is taken.

The orders are sometimes varied by the command "Simon says wig-wag!" when all the thumbs must be waggled to and fro.

A somewhat similar game of contraries is "The Grand Mufti." The player personating the Grand Mufti stands in the middle or on a chair, and performs whatever action he likes with his hands, arms, head, and legs. With each movement he says, "Thus does the Grand Mufti," or, "So does the Grand Mufti." When it is "Thus does the Grand Mufti" the other players must imitate his movement; but when it is "So does the Grand Mufti" they must take no notice. Any mistakes may lead to forfeits.

There is no contrariness about "The Mandarins." The players sit in a circle, and the game is begun by one of them remarking to the next, "My ship has come home from China." The answer is "Yes, and what has it brought?" The first player replies, "A fan," and begins to fan herself with her right hand. All the players must copy her. The second player then turns to the third (all still fanning) and remarks, "My ship has come home from China." "Yes, and what has it brought?" "Two fans." All the players then fan themselves with both hands. The third player, to the fourth (all still fanning), "My ship has come home from China." "Yes, and what has it brought?" "Three fans." All the players then add a nodding head to their other movements. And so on, until when "Nine fans" is reached, heads, eyes, mouth, hands, feet and body are all moving. The answers and movements of this game may be varied. Thus the second answer to the question "And what has it brought" might be "A bicycle," when the feet of all the players would have to move as if working pedals; the third answer could be a "snuff-box," which should set all the players sneezing; and so on. A typewriter, a piano, a barrel-organ, a football, would vary the game.

This test of self-control is rather a favorite; but it is not so much a game as a means of distributing forfeits. The players sit in a circle. One then stands up and, holding out a stick, repeats these lines—

Buff says Buff to all his men,And I say Buff to you again.Buff never laughs, Buff never smiles,In spite of all your cunning wiles,But carries his faceWith a very good grace,And passes his stick to the very next place.

This must be said without laughing or smiling. Each player in turn holds the stick and repeats the verses, those that laugh or smile having, when it is over, to pay a forfeit.

This is another game in which laughter is forbidden. The players sit close together in a silent circle. Whatever the leader does the others have to do, but without smile or sound. Perhaps the leader will begin by pulling the next player's hair, and pass on to pat her cheek, or prod her sides, or pinch her nose.

Another trial of composure. The players choose what positions they will and become as still and as silent as statues. One player is judge. It is his business to try and make the statues laugh. All who laugh pay forfeits; but the one who keeps his face grave longest becomes "Judge."

"Laughter" is just the opposite. The company sit in a circle and the game is begun by one throwing a handkerchief into the air. Immediately this is done every one must beginto laugh and continue to laugh until the handkerchief touches the ground. They must then stop or leave the circle. Gradually all will leave but one, who must then perform by himself, if he is willing.

One third of the company agree to say "Hish" all together at a given signal, another third agree to say "Hash," and the rest agree to say "Hosh." The word of command is then given, and the result is the sound as of a tremendous sneeze.

In "Bingo" the players begin by joining hands and marching round, singing—

There was a farmer had a dogHis name was Bobby Bingo O.B, I, N, G, O,B, I, N, G, O,B, I, N, G, O,And Bingo was his name O!

The players then loose hands, the girls go inside the ring and stand there, and the boys run round them singing the rhyme again. Then the boys go inside and the girls run round them and sing it. And then hands are taken once more and all go round in the original circle singing it a fourth time. If no boys are playing, the girls should arrange, before the game begins, which shall personate them.

A good game for the fireside is "Robin's Alive." There are so few children nowadays who have fireplaces that this can be modified so that it is a good evening game for any quiet group of children. Some one lights a piece of twisted paperor a stick of wood, twirls it rapidly in the air to keep it burning and says, as fast as he can,

Robin's alive, and alive he shall beIf he dies in my hand you may back-saddle me,

and at once passes the paper on to the next player who in turn recites the verse. The one in whose hand it finally goes out is "back-saddled" in this way. He lies down on the floor and the others pile cushions and chairs and books on him while he repeats,

Rocks and stones and the old horse's bonesAll this and more you may pile upon me.

The players join hands and go round and round in a ring, singing—

Here we go round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush,Here we go round the mulberry bushOn a fine and frosty morning.

They then let go hands and sing—

This is the way we wash our clothes, wash our clothes, wash our clothes,This is the way we wash our clothesOn a fine and frosty morning,

and as they sing they pretend to be washing. After the verse is done they join hands again and dance round to the singing of the mulberry bush chorus again, and so on after each verse. The other verses are—

(2) This is the way we iron our clothes.(3) This is the way we wash our face.(4) This is the way we comb our hair.(5) This is the way we go to school (very sadly).(6) This is the way we learn our book.(7) This is the way we sew our seams.

And lastly and very gaily—

(8) This is the way we come from school,

and then the chorus comes again, and the game is done.

This is another of the old country games in which the players all have to do the same things. They first join hands and dance round, singing—

Here we dance Looby, looby,Here we dance Looby light,Here we dance Looby, looby,All on a Saturday night.

Then, letting go of hands and standing still, they sing—

Put your right hands in,Put your right hands out,Shake them and shake them a little,And turn yourselves about,

and at the same time they do what the song directs. Then the dance and chorus again, and then the next verse, and so on. This is the order—

(2) Put your left hands in.(3) Put your right feet in.(4) Put your left feet in.(5) Put your noddles in.

And finally—

Put your bodies in,Put your bodies out,Shake them and shake them a little,And turn yourselves about.

An ear-splitting game that is always great fun. The players stand in rows before the leader or "conductor," who sings a verse from any well-known nonsense or other song.Then he says, pointing to one of the players, "and the first violin played this simple melody," whereupon the two sing the verse over again, the player imitating with his arms the movements of a violin player, and with his voice the sound of a squeaking fiddle. Then the conductor says, pointing to another player, "and the big trombone played this simple melody." Then the three sing together, the second player imitating the sound of a trombone and the appearance of a trombone player. This is continued until every one is playing on an imaginary instrument, the conductor, of course, being the only one who sings the words of the song.

A nonsensical game, useful in leading to forfeits. The company sit in a row, and one of the end players begins by saying, "A good fat hen." Each of the others in turn must then say, "A good fat hen." The first player then says, "Two ducks and a good fat hen," and the words pass down the line. Then "Three squawking wild geese, two ducks, and a good fat hen." And so on until the end is reached, in the following order—

The sentence has now reached a very difficult length:—"Ten bald eagles, nine ugly turkey-buzzards, eight screeching owls, seven green parrots, six long-legged cranes, five pouting pigeons, four plump partridges, three squawking wild geese, two ducks and a good fat hen." Any one making a mistake may be made to pay a forfeit.

The same game may be played also with "The House that Jack Built," and there are other stories of a similar kind. Among these the most amusing for a large party would perhaps be the old rhyme of "John Ball."

In the tenth round, then, each player has to say—

John Patch made the match,John Clint made the flint,John Farrell made the barrel,John Puzzle made the muzzle,John Crowder made the powder,John Scott made the shot,John Wyming made the priming,John Brammer made the rammer,John Block made the stock,But John Ball shot them all.

There is also the old rhyme of "Chitterbob," but it is usual in repeating this to say it all at once, in one round, and not prolong the task. This is the rhyme:—

There was a man and his name was CobHe had a wife and her name was Mob,He had a dog and his name was Bob,She had a cat and her name was Chitterbob."Bob," says Cob;"Chitterbob," says Mob.Bob was Cob's dog,Mob's cat was Chitterbob,Cob, Mob, Bob, and Chitterbob.

In the old way of playing "Chitterbob" a paper horn used to be twisted into the player's hair for each mistake made in the recitation, and at the end these horns could be got rid of only by paying forfeits.

"The Muffin Man" is another variety. The players sit in a circle, and the game is begun by one of them turning to the next and asking, either in speech or in song—

Oh, do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man?Oh, do you know the muffin man who lives in Drury Lane?

The reply is—

Oh, yes I know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man,Oh, yes I know the muffin man who lives in Drury Lane.

Both players then repeat together—

Then two of us know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man,Then two of us know the muffin man who lives in Drury Lane.

This done, the second player turns to the third and the same question and answer are given; but when it comes to the comment—

Then three of us know the muffin man,...

the first player also joins in. At the end therefore, if there are eight people playing, the whole company is singing—

Then eight of us know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man,Then eight of us know the muffin man who lives in Drury Lane.

In "Family Coach" each player takes the name of a part of a coach, as the axle, the door, the box, the reins, the whip, the wheels, the horn; or of some one connected with it, as the driver, the guard, the ostlers, the landlord, the bad-tempered passenger, the cheerful passenger, the passenger who made puns, the old lady with the bundle, and the horses—wheelers and leaders. One player then tells a story about the coach, bringing in as many of these people and things as he can, and as often. Whenever a person or thing represented by a player is mentioned, that player must stand up and turn round. But whenever the coach is mentioned the whole company must stand up and turn round. Otherwise, forfeits. A specimen story is here given as a hint as to the kind of thing needed:—

"There's the railway, of course," saidMr. Burly, "and there's the motor wagonette, and you've all got bicycles; but let's go to London in the old-fashioned way for once; let's go in theFamily Coach." These words delighted everybody. "Oh, yes," they all cried, "let's go in theFamily Coach." It was therefore arranged, andJohn the Coachmanhad orders to get everything ready. This was no light matter, for theFamily Coachhad not been used for many years, and it would need to be taken to the coachbuilder's at once and be overhauled. So the next morning it lumbered off, and it did not come back for a week; but when it did there was a change indeed. Thewheelshad been painted red, theaxleshad been tested, thespringsrenewed, the inside re-lined, therooffreshly upholstered, and the whole made bright and gay. At last the morning came, a clear, sunny day, and punctually at nineJohnrattled up to the door. Thehorsesstood there pawing the ground, as if ready to gallop all the way.Johnhad a new coat and hat, and Tim and Peter, thegrooms, were also in new livery. Every one was ready. First cameMr. Burlyin a wonderful great overcoat, and thenMrs. Burlyin furs. ThenUncle Joshua, thenAunt Penelope, and then the three girls and two boys. How they all found room I don't know, but they did. "Are we all ready?" saidMr. Burly. "All ready," saidUncle Joshua. SoTimandPetersprang away from thehorses'heads, crack went thewhip, round went thewheels,Uncle Joshuablew thehorn, and the oldFamily Coachwas fairly on its journey.It was a splendid ride.Johnkept hishorsesgoing at a grand pace andhardly used thewhipat all, thewheelsran smoothly over the road, and whenever we passed through a villageUncle Joshuablew thehorn. We stopped at Thornminster for lunch.Johnbrought us up to the inn door in style, and thelandlordcame out rubbing his hands and helpedMrs. BurlyandAunt Penelopedown with a flourish. "Proud to see you, sir," he said toMr. Burly. "It is seldom enough that folks travel nowadays in an oldFamily Coach. I wish there were more of them."After lunch we went along in the same splendid way until suddenly round a corner came a donkey-cart with the donkey braying at the top of his voice.Johnpulled thehorseswell over to the side, but the braying was too much for them, and they rolled into the ditch. In a moment the oldFamily Coachwas overturned.Mr. Burlywas shot into the field across the hedge,Uncle Joshua, grasping thehorn, landed in a pond,JohnandAunt Penelope,Mrs. Burlyand thegroomsall stuck in the hedge. No one was hurt, but two of thewheelswere broken to pieces and oneaxlewas bent, and that was therefore the last of the oldFamily Coach. So we never got to London in the old way after all.

It was a splendid ride.Johnkept hishorsesgoing at a grand pace andhardly used thewhipat all, thewheelsran smoothly over the road, and whenever we passed through a villageUncle Joshuablew thehorn. We stopped at Thornminster for lunch.Johnbrought us up to the inn door in style, and thelandlordcame out rubbing his hands and helpedMrs. BurlyandAunt Penelopedown with a flourish. "Proud to see you, sir," he said toMr. Burly. "It is seldom enough that folks travel nowadays in an oldFamily Coach. I wish there were more of them."

After lunch we went along in the same splendid way until suddenly round a corner came a donkey-cart with the donkey braying at the top of his voice.Johnpulled thehorseswell over to the side, but the braying was too much for them, and they rolled into the ditch. In a moment the oldFamily Coachwas overturned.Mr. Burlywas shot into the field across the hedge,Uncle Joshua, grasping thehorn, landed in a pond,JohnandAunt Penelope,Mrs. Burlyand thegroomsall stuck in the hedge. No one was hurt, but two of thewheelswere broken to pieces and oneaxlewas bent, and that was therefore the last of the oldFamily Coach. So we never got to London in the old way after all.

If this story is not long enough, it can be lengthened. The words in italics are those to be distributed among the company, each player taking more than one if necessary. When the accident comes they might all fall down as they are mentioned. In the case of the wheels and the horses, these may either be taken all four by one player, or eight players may share them. Thus, when the wheels are mentioned, all four players who have taken the wheels would stand up and turn round, and four others when the horses were alluded to.

"The Traveler" is a favorite variety of the "Family Coach." In this game a player with a ready tongue is chosen as traveler, and the others are given such names as landlord, bell-boy, clerk, waiter, chambermaid, electric light, elevator, bed, supper, paper, sitting-room, bedroom, steam-radiator, slippers, and so on. The traveler is then supposed to arrive and give his orders. "Can I have a room to-night? Good. And how soon willsupperbe ready? Ask thebell-boyto takemysatchelsup to myroom. Show me to myroomand send up thepapers." And so on, each person named having to stand up or be booked for a forfeit.

This game lends itself to various new forms. One might be called "The Bicyclist" and run thus:—A player having been chosen as the bicyclist, the others take as many bicycling names (or two names each might add to the fun) as there are players. Thus—lamp, wick, oil, handle-bars, spokes, tires, chain, pump, nuts, bell, hedges, fields, sheep, roads, hill, dog. This settled, the bicyclist will begin his story, something in this style:—

It looked so fine this morning that I determined to go for a long ride. So I got out thepumpand blew up thetires, put themonkey-wrenchto a fewnuts, filled thelamp, trimmed thewick, polished up thebelland thehandle-bars, and started off. Theroadswere perfect. Thefieldswere shining with dew, thehedgeswere sweet with honey-suckle, and I skimmed along like the wind until suddenly, at the turn at the foot of ClaymoreHill, I rode bang into a flock ofsheepand came down with a smash. You never saw such a ruin. Thelampandbellwere lost completely, thehandle-barswere twisted into corkscrews, thetireswere cut to ribbons, thespokeslooked like part of a spider's web, my hands and my knees were cut, and the worst of it was that the shepherd'sdogmistook me for an enemy and I had to beat him off with themonkey-wrench, until the farmer heard the noise and came to the rescue.

During this story all the players named would, in the ordinary way, stand up for a moment when their adopted names were mentioned, except at the point when the accident occurs, and then every player bearing the name of a part of the bicycle—the handle-bars, spokes, tires, chain, air-pump, lamp, wick, bell, monkey-wrench, pump, nuts—should fall to the ground.

There are various feats which can be performed in a small room without injury to furniture. To lie flat on the floor on one's back and be lifted into an upright position by a pair ofhands under the back of the head, keeping stiff all the time, is a favorite accomplishment. Another is to bend over and touch the floor with the tips of the fingers without bending the knees. Another is, keeping your feet behind a line, to see who, by stretching along the ground supported on the left hand only, can place a penny with the right hand the farthest distance and get back again to an upright position behind the line without moving the feet or using the right hand for a support. This done, the penny must be recovered in the same way.

Another feat is, keeping your feet together and one arm behind you, to see how far back from the wall it is possible to place your feet (remembering that you have to get into an upright position again) while you lean forward supported by the other hand laid flat against the wall.

Another is to keep the toes to a line, and kneel down and get up again without using the hands.

Another is to make a bridge of your body from chair to chair, resting the back of your neck on one and your heels on the other. This is done by beginning with three chairs, one under the back, and then when you are rigid enough having the third one removed.

If you hold your hands across your chest in a straight line with the tips of the forefingers pressed together, it will be impossible for any one else, however strong, to hold by your arms and pull those finger-tips apart.

It is quite safe to stand a person against the wall with his heels touching it, and, laying a shilling on the floor a foot or so is front of him, to say it will be his if he can pick it up without moving his heels from the wall.

Another impossible thing is to stand sideways against thewall with your left cheek, left heel, and left leg touching it, and then raise the right leg.

In this contest two boys are first trussed. Trussing consists of firmly tying wrists and ankles, bringing the elbows down below the knees and slipping a stick along over one elbow, under both knees and over the other elbow, as in the picture. The game is, for the two fowls to be placed opposite each other with their feet just touching, and for each then to strive to roll the other over with his toes.

A Trussed FowlA Trussed Fowl

Another balancing game. Two boys face each other, each with a candle, one of which is lighted and the other not. Kneeling on the right knee only and keeping the left leg entirely off the ground, they have to make one candle light the other.

A tall hat is placed in the middle of the room and a pack of cards is dealt out to the players seated round it. The game is to throw the cards one by one into the hat.

This is properly an outdoor game, but in a big room indoors it is all right. The two sides should be even in numbers, at any rate in the first pull. In the middle of the rope a handkerchief is tied, and three chalk lines a yard apart are made on the floor. The sides then grasp the rope, the captain of each side, whose duty it is to encourage his men by cheering cries, having his hands about a yard and a half from the handkerchief. The rope is then trimmed by the umpire until the handkerchief comes exactly over the middle one of the three lines. On the word being given, each side has to try and pull the rope so that the handkerchief passes over the chalk line nearest it. The best of three decides the victory. For the sake of sport it is better, if one side is much weaker than the other, to add to it until the balance of strength is pretty even.

The players stand in as wide a circle as the size of the room allows, with one player in the middle. He has a rope or heavy cord in his hand with some object, rather heavy but not hard, tied to it, such as a small cushion or a large bunchof rags. Stooping down, he begins swinging this around the circle. As it comes to them the players must jump over the cord. As the cushion is swung faster and faster it goes higher and is more difficult to jump over. The first one to miss takes the place of the person swinging the rope, who is not allowed to raise his hand higher than his knee.

In this game goals are set up at each end of the room, the players are provided with fans, and the football is a blown hen's egg, which is wafted backward and forward along the floor.

A string is stretched across the room at a height of about three or four feet. The players divide into sides and line up on each side of the string. The balloon is then thrown up, the game being to keep it in the air backward and forward over the string, so that if it falls it will fall in the other side's camp. It ought to be tapped with the back of the fingers and not hit hard.

In this game tissue-paper is cut into pieces three or four inches square. As many squares as there are players are placed in a line at one end of the room, and at the other are placed two books, or other objects, a foot or so apart. At the word of command each competitor, who is armed with a Japanese fire-screen or fan, starts to fan his square through the goal-posts. For the sake of distinguishing them it is better to mark the papers or have them of different colors. A competitor may not fan any other square except by accident.

This game should not be played unless there are some older, stronger players to prevent possible accidents, but it is veryamusing. Each player in turn goes to the end of the room, takes a cane or umbrella, puts his head down on the handle, closes his eyes and, stooping over thus, whirls rapidly about six times, not moving the point of the cane from its original position. Then instantly he straightens up and tries to walk steadily the length of the room along a string laid down or line marked. The one who steps nearest to the line all the time is the winner.

This is a good game for a hall or landing. Two baskets are needed, which are placed at one end of the hall about two yards apart, and then in a line from each basket are placed potatoes, at intervals of a yard or so all down the floor, an equal number to each line. Any even number of competitors can play, the race being run in heats. Each competitor is armed with a long spoon, and his task is to pick up all the potatoes on his line and return them to the basket before his opponent can. Each potato must be carried to the basket in turn, and if dropped on the way must be picked up again before another can be touched, and the spoon only must be used. Any help from the other hand or from the foot disqualifies.

At a fire in the country, where there is no hose, a line of men extends from the burning house to the nearest pond, and buckets are continually being passed along this line. Hence the name by which this excellent game is called here. It is played thus. A large number of miscellaneous and unbreakable articles—balls, boots, potatoes, books, and so on—are divided into two exactly equal groups, and each group is placed in a clothes basket. The company then forms into twoequal lines, and each chooses a captain. Each captain stands by the basket at one end of his line, at the other end being a chair and another player standing by that. At the word "Start," the articles are handed one by one by the captain to the first player in the line, and passed as quickly as possible without dropping to the player by the chair. As they come to him he piles them on the chair (without dropping any) until all are there, and then returns them with equal speed until the basket is filled again. The side which finishes first is the winner. If an article is dropped it must be picked up before any other of the articles can pass the player who dropped it.

In many of the games already described mention has been made of "Forfeits." They do not now play quite so important a part in an evening's entertainment as once they did, but they can still add to the interest of games. "Paying a forfeit" means giving up to the player who is collecting forfeits some personal article or other—a knife, a pencil, a handkerchief—which, at the end of the game, or later in the evening, has to be recovered by performing whatever penance is ordered. When the times comes for "crying the forfeits," as it is called, the player who has them sits in a chair, while another player, either blindfolded or hiding her eyes, kneels before her, the remaining players standing all around. The first player then holds up a forfeit, remarking, "I have a thing, and a very pretty thing. Pray what shall be done to the owner of this pretty thing?" To which the blindfolded one replies by asking, "Is it fine or superfine?" meaning, Does it belong to a boy (fine) or a girl (superfine)? The answer is either "It is fine," or "It is superfine," and the blindfolded one then announces what its owner must do to get possession of it again. Of stock penances there are a great number, most of whichare tricks which, once known, are necessarily very tame afterward. In the case of those that follow, therefore, something definite and practical is required.

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