OUT FOR A WALK

Hunt the squirrel through the wood.Now I've lost him—now I've found him!Hunt the squirrel through the wood.

The player behind whom the handkerchief was dropped must catch the squirrel before he can take up the empty place in the ring left by the pursuer. It is more fun if, in dropping the handkerchief, it can be done without the player discovering it for a little while.

The way in which old-fashioned country children play this game (called usually "Drop the handkerchief"), is a little different. As the one with the handkerchief walks around and around the outside of the ring all join in singing,

"A tisket! A tasket!A green and yellow basket!I sent a letter to my loveAnd now I find I've lost it.I've lost it! I've lost it!And where do you think I found it?Up in the sky, ever so highWith angels gathered 'round it."

As the words "I've lost it!" are repeated, the player outside must drop the handkerchief, but no one must look behind him until the verse is ended. Then the one who finds thehandkerchief behind him must try to catch the first one, who in turn tries to slip into the empty place.

The players form a ring: all except one, who is "It." This one runs round the ring and touches one of the players in the circle. They both set off running immediately in opposite directions, the object of each being to get first to the gap made in the circle by the player who was touched. The one who gets to the gap first remains in the circle, while the other becomes "It."

A very good picnic game. All the players except two form a large ring, standing in twos, one behind another. Of the two who are over, one is the pursuer and the other the pursued; and the game is begun by the pursued taking up his position (if he can do so before the pursuer catches him) in front of one of the couples in the ring, thus making three. Directly he does this he is safe, and the last player in the little group at the back of him has to run. Whoever is caught becomes the pursuer, while the one that caught him becomes the pursued until, by standing in front of one of the couples, he transfers that office to another.

"Hide and Seek," which is perhaps the best out-of-door game without implements, needs no explanation. It is usual to give the player who hides a start of as much time as it takes the others to count a hundred in. Some boys, instead of counting from one to a hundred, divide the sum into ten tens, which are counted thus: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1; 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1; and so on. These can be rattled through soquickly that your 100 is done and you have started out before, in the ordinary way, seventy would have been reached.

A customary arrangement to avoid taking the hiders too much by surprise is for the boy who stays at the base and counts a hundred to call out when he finishes

"Bushel of wheat! Bushel of rye!All that aren't ready call out 'I'!"

or simply

"One! Two! Three!Look out for me!"

"I Spy" combines "Hide and Seek" and "Tag." One player stays in the base, covers his eyes and counts a hundred, while the others run off and hide. On finishing the hundred the player shouts "Coming!" and runs out to look for the others. Directly he catches sight of one of them (and they are not hidden so carefully as in "Hide and Seek"), he calls out his name and the place where he has seen him; as, for instance, "Harry! behind the summer-house!" If there is no mistake and the name is right (it is very often wrong, in which case the player does not move), Harry has to run out and try and catch the other before he reaches the base.

Another way is for as many players to seek as to hide. In this case it is agreed beforehand as to how many of the seekers must be caught by the hiders for the game to be won. If the number is given at four and four are caught, the same side have the privilege of hiding again; but if only three or a smaller number, then the seekers have won and it is they who hide next time.

There is no better running game than this. You first pick sides and then mark off the two camps and take up your station there. The field is arranged thus:—

Chevy

The game is opened by several of the A side running out to some point immediately in front of the two camps. When ready they call "Chevy." As many of the B side then start out to pursue them, each calling his particular quarry by name. The object of each A man is either to get back before the B man who is after him can catch him, or to tempt the B man into ground so near the A camp that he may be caught. In this aim he is helped by the fact that directly his B pursuer called his name and started out another A man probably called out the name of the B man and started to cut him off. No one is allowed to be pursued by two players at once.

If caught, the A man has to go to the place reserved for B's prisoners. Directly he gets there he calls "Rescue"; an A man will then call "Prisoner," and rush out to relieve him; while a B runner is all ready to intercept this A rescuer if he can.

The game is good both for runners who can keep it up a long time and for those who can make short, sharp dashes. The first named decoy the enemy out in pursuit, and the others hold themselves ready to dash across in front of the enemy's camp and cut off any one who is across the line. The rule as to shouting the name of the man you have marked down should be kept.

If there is more than one prisoner they stand just touching hands, in a line which reaches as far as possible toward their own camp, so that the distance between the first prisoner and the rescuer may be shortened. Each new prisoner takes up his place at the back of this line, farthest from the camp. A prisoner is rescued by being touched.

If one side is much weaker than the other a time comes when it is nearly all taken prisoner, with none to rescue except by leaving the camp undefended. Directly a camp is left undefended one of the enemy steps in and "crowns" it and claims the game. More often than not, however, a game of"Chevy" is left undecided. It does not matter in the least, for in this game the fun is more in playing than in winning.

For this game the ground must be divided by a path or line into two territories—French and English. At the further side of each territory a number of flags—handkerchiefs will do—must be placed at intervals. The players are then divided into the two nations, and the game consists in each side trying to get the flags from the other side, to guard its own, and to catch the enemy when he is off his own ground. Once a player sets foot upon the enemy's territory he must go on, but he cannot be caught if he has a flag in his hands. If he is caught he becomes a prisoner (as in Chevy), and is only released by being touched by one of his own party. A player cannot redeem a prisoner and take a flag at the same time. The game ends when all the flags of one side have been taken.

This is rather rough. A line is drawn at each end of the playing place and one player is told off to stand between these lines. The object of the others is to run across, from base to base, without being caught by him: being caught meaning not merely being touched, as in "It," but being really held and stopped. Each one that is caught has to stay in the middle to help catch the others, until no one is left to run across at all.

The player in the middle calls out to the crowd of players, "What'll you do when the black man comes?" and they answer,

"Run right throughAnd never mind you."

This is the signal to begin each rush across from one line to the other.

"Stagarino" is similar to "Black Man," except that all the players who are caught, and whose business it is to catch the others, join hands. Those that run across have therefore to avoid them or to try and break through the wall of arms.

"Red Rover" is also similar to "Black Man," except that instead of all running at the same time, the "Rover" calls out:—

"Red Rover! Red Rover!Let (mentioning name) come over!"

at which the one named has to run from one base to the other. If he is caught, he must assist the "Rover" in catching the others.

This is a change from ordinary racing. The competitors, instead of running against each other, see which can cover the most distance in a hop, a step, and a jump, or, say, three hops, three steps, and three jumps. It needs an umpire to watch very carefully that the step begins exactly where the hop left off and the jump where the step finished.

This needs no explaining. It is nearly always good fun for a while, and particularly so if the leader has original ideas.

On country walks, where there is much to see, one should not be in need of ways to make the time seem shorter. And new walks in the town, or walks where there are interesting shop-windows, are not dull. But the same walks again and again can be very tiring; and it is to help these that the methods which follow have been collected.

A good walking pastime for two is for one to drive the other. Hoops are a great help (seep. 169) and so are dolls' perambulators. But on many walks nothing of this kind is allowed, and one has to fall back on conversation. Telling stories in turns, or making up stories about passers-by, is useful, but it is not every one that is able to do this.

In the Channel Islands visitors riding about in large wagonettes pass the time by playing a game called "Roadside Whist." The people on the left seat of the carriage take the right side of the road, and those on the right seat take the left. The conductor teaches them the rules at the beginning of the drive. In our case it is better perhaps to make them for ourselves, to suit our own particular country. Let us suppose that—

If you see

Then there should be a few things for which marks have to be taken off. Let us suppose that—

If you see

No matter what the score is, whichever side sees a cat on a window-ledge wins the game.

In a town there are other varieties of roadside whist for two players or sides. Counting dogs is one. In this game one takes all the streets leading from the left, the other all from the right.

A good game (writes E. R.) while out for a walk is "when you see a horse coming, guess what color his tail is before he can reach you, and then, whoever guesses right, the horse belongs to him."

Except in very dull streets shop-windows can be always entertaining. It is interesting to suppose you have so much money—say five dollars—to spend, or, if you like, an unlimited sum, and choose what you would buy as you pass each shop, E. H. writes:—"One little girl used to suppose that she was the eldest of a large family whom she had to provide for, and was always on the lookout for things in the shops that would do for her younger brothers and sisters. For instance, if she decided that the family must have new winter clothes, she would first make up her mind how much she could afford and then price the things in the shop-windows.Sometimes she would set her heart on a particular cloak for the baby, but could not pretend to buy it till she had seen whether it would leave her enough money for the other children. If she could get all the children dressed fairly nicely for the sum at her disposal she had all the satisfaction of a successful day's shopping. Sometimes the clothes she wanted were too dear, and then she had to decide what was most necessary, what she could make at home, and so on."

It is rather exciting for each player to take a side of the road where there are shops and see which can first complete a given sentence or word from the initial letters of the shopkeepers' names, Christian or surname. In fixing upon a sentence it is well to be careful not to have unusual letters, such as Q, or U, or J in it. If this is too difficult all the letters in the shopkeepers' names may be taken, or those in every other name.

In Mrs. Meynell's book,The Children, one little girl on her walks collected Jones's—that is, shops with the name of Jones over them. If any one else cared for this amusement there would be no need to stick to Jones.

In this game you go through the alphabet, applying adjectives to your love. "I love my love with an A because he [or she] is so admirable"; "I love my love with a B because she is so beautiful," and so on, keeping to each letter as long as possible. On pages88and89will be found more difficult varieties, less suitable, perhaps, to be played when walking.

Another alphabet game requires adjectives to be put before the word cat. You begin with A. "An artful cat," one player may say; and the next, "An avaricious cat." Perhaps "An awful cat," "An adhesive cat," "An arrogant cat," and "An attractive cat," will follow. A is kept up until no one can think of any more; or—if you play in that way—until no one can think of any more while ten is being counted. Then B: "A bushy cat," "A bruised cat," "A bellicose cat," "A bumptious cat," and so on.

In this game the players each contribute a letter toward the spelling of a word, their object being never to be the one to complete it, but to force the next player to do so. Thus (with four players) the first player may say "p," and the next, thinking of "prim," may say "r," and the next, also thinking of "prim," may say "i." But the fourth player, running his thoughts quickly over possible words beginning with "pri," may light upon "prism" and say "s." This saves her, but puts the first player in danger, which is only averted by her thinking of "prison" and saying "o," in which case the next one is bound to be the loser.

A favorite old game which can be played as well on a walk as indoors is "The Grand Mogul." "The Grand Mogul does not like E's," says one player; "what will you give him for dinner?" Each player answers in turn, but none of the dishes named must contain the letter E, or the player either stands out, or (indoors) pays a forfeit. Thus, the answers to the question may be "apricots," "mutton," or "soup," but not "apples," "beef," or "porridge." On a walk the letterE might be persevered with until every one failed, and then the other vowels might be tried.

This is a counting game in which, whenever the number 7 comes, or a multiple of 7, such as 14, 21, 28, 35, or a number with 7 in it, such as 17, 27, 37, the player whose turn it is must say "Buz." Otherwise, out-of-doors, he loses a round or two, or, indoors, he must pay a forfeit. When 70 comes you say "Buz" in the ordinary way, but for 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78, and 79 you say "Buz 1," "Buz 2," and so on. For 77 you say "Buz Buz."

In this game one player thinks of a word and gives the others a rhyme to it. Thus, she may think of "coal," and she would then say, "I've thought of a word that rhymes to pole." The others have to guess what the word is, yet not bluntly, as, "Is it mole?" but like this: "Is it a little animal that burrows?" "No," says the first player (who thus has a little guessing to do herself), "No, it is not mole." "Is it a small loaf of bread?" "No, it is not roll." "Is it something you eat bread and milk from?" "No, it is not bowl." "Is it something you burn?" "Yes, it is coal." The player who thought of "coal" then finds a word for the others to guess.

The "Apprentice" is an old game for two or any number. One says, "I apprenticed my son to a [mentioning a tradesman or craftsman], and the first thing be sold [or made] was a [mentioning, by its initial only, something peculiar to the trade or craft]." The player who first guesses what the initial stands for then makes a similar remark. Thus, one player may say, "I apprenticed my son to a blacksmith, andthe first thing he made was a D. K." (Door Knocker). Another, "I apprenticed my son to a grocer, and the first thing he sold was S. S." (Soft Soap). Another, "I apprenticed my son to a gardener, and the first thing he grew was a C. B." (Canterbury Bell). Another, "I apprenticed my son to a firework manufacturer, and the first thing he made was a G. R." (Golden Rain).

This is a somewhat similar game bearing on geography. Suppose there are three players. One chooses a well-known place, say Boston, and begins, "I know a place where they sell boots," or whatever it may be beginning with B. The next player then knows what letter the place begins with and at once starts thinking of what place it is likely to be. Perhaps she settles on Birmingham, in which case she would say, to indicate that the second letter of the word was "I," "I know a place where they sell isinglass" (or icicles, or inglenooks). "No," says the first player, and the third therefore has to try. Perhaps she decides that the place is Brighton, in which case she will say, "I know a place where they sell rockets" (or rump-steak or raisins). "No," says the first player again, and then it being her turn she gives them another light on the right word by saying, "I know a place where they sell oranges" (or oil, or ocarinas), and so on, until the place is spelled through.

Other games suitable to be played when walking are "P's and Q's" (p. 89), "Suggestions" (p. 91), "Clumps" (p. 93), "How, When, and Where" (p. 95), "Coffee-Pot" (p. 95), "Throwing Light" (p. 96), and "Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral" (p. 96).

Iron hoops are the best, but it is a matter of taste whether a stick or a hook is used for them. If the stick is a stout one you get rid of the skidding noise made by the hook, and there is more satisfaction in beating a thing along than in, as it were, pushing it. It should be every one's aim to make the hoop do as much as possible with as little treatment as possible. After a very fast run it is equally interesting to see how slowly a hoop can be made to travel. To make it keep as straight a course as may be is very absorbing. Bought hoops can be strong, but to get exactly what one wants it is necessary to go to a blacksmith. A hoop standing as high as its owner, through which he can run to and fro as it rolls, is a possession which only a blacksmith or working-ironmonger can supply.

Hoop games are few in number, and, with the exception of "Posting," not very exciting. With a large hoop and a small hoop two players can learn to time the pace of a hoop very exactly and then bowl the little one through the big one as it rolls.

There is also a game called "Turnpikes," in which several players and one hoop take part. The turnpikes, of which there are as many as the players, less the one who begins with the hoop, are two stones an inch or so apart, through which the hoop has to be bowled without touching, the faster the better. If it touches, or misses, the player who has been bowling it gives the hoop to the turnpike holder, who then tries his fortune with it, keeping it until he fails at any of the stones.

A very good hoop game for several players is "Posting." The idea is that a distance is to be covered (as in the old postingdays) as quickly as possible by relays of riders, and the first thing to do is to station four posts at various points along the route. Then, when they are ready, each with hoop-stick or hook, the player with the hoop starts and bowls it as fast as he can to the first post. Immediately it reaches him that post takes it on, without stopping the hoop for an instant, to the next, while the first one takes the place left by him; and so on, as often round the ring as you like. When there is a time-keeper and you post against time it is even better fun. The advantage of standing in a large circle is that the hoop need never be checked; but if the circle is impossible, you can go up and down a long line, with checks only at each end.

A long journey in a train—say from New York to Chicago—can, even if you have a window seat, be very tiring; but without a window it is sometimes almost unendurable. The hints which follow are mostly adapted for two players, but one or two will be found useful if you are alone with no one to play with.

A map of the country which the train passes through is an interesting thing to have on a long journey. It tells you the names of the hills and villages you see from the windows and you can very likely fix the exact moment that you cross from one county or state into another.

Two persons can have good competitions. They can agree beforehand that the game is to go to whichever of them sees the more horses, or cows, or sheep, or men driving, or bicyclists, or rabbits, between two given points, say one station and the next. It is not necessary to be at different windows; in fact a new kind of excitement comes in if both are at the same window or at windows on the same side, because then in addition to seeing the things there is the fun of not letting the other think you have seen them.

This is a kind of "Roadside Whist," the rules for which will be found onpage 163. As has been said there, most players will prefer to draw up their own scoring table; but the following things and figures may be found useful as a foundation:—

If you see

Whichever side first sees a black sheep wins, no matter what the score is. Otherwise the scorer of the greatest number of marks is the winner. In "Railway Whist" it is necessary for the players to be on different sides of the train.

A variety of "Observation" (seepage 104) can be played on journeys. While the train is stopping at a station everyone looks out of the window and notices as many things as possible. When the train starts again each writes as many of these things as he can remember, and the one with the best list wins.

If you have a watch it is rather interesting to guess the exact time at which the train will reach the next station. The one who guesses nearest becomes the holder of the watch until the next guess is decided. Other things can be done with a watch, particularly if it has a second hand. Guessing the length of a minute is rather interesting, or timing the speed of the train by noting how long it takes to go between the telegraph-poles at the side of the line.

This is a primitive game, capital for cold weather, for it is well named. It is played by two people, one of whom spreads out his hands flat, palms up. The other puts his, palms down, within about three inches of the other's, and tries to strike them a smart blow. If the first player can withdraw his hands quickly enough so that they are not touched it is his turn to try and strike. As long as the player whose hands are palms down can strike the other's hands he can go on. This is an excellent game for cultivating quickness. The player whose hands are to be struck will find that he can succeed better in escaping the other's blows, if he watches his eyes rather than his hands.

This can be arranged among many players as a sort of tournament, trying out the players by couples until finally the two best contestants are left to struggle for the championship. This is a good game to play while getting your breath afterskating—or at any time out of doors when you are obliged to be quiet, and there is danger of getting chilled.

It is well to take a pencil and paper when you go on a long journey. If the train rocks a good deal it is interesting to see which can write a sentence most clearly. There is a way of balancing oneself on the edge of the seat and holding the paper on one's knees which makes for steadiness. It is never too shaky for "Noughts and Crosses."

"Noughts and Crosses" is playable anywhere; all that is needed is a piece of paper—a newspaper will do—and a pencil. The framework is first made. Thus:—

Tit-tat-toe 1

One player chooses crosses and the other noughts, and the one who is to begin puts his mark—say, a cross—in one of the nine squares. The other puts a nought in another of the squares, and so it goes on until either three noughts or three crosses are in a straight line in any direction. Thus, this is the end of a game in which noughts played first and crosses won:

Tit-tat-toe 2

But it often happens that the game is drawn, as in this example, in which noughts played first:—

Tit-tat-toe 3

A blank book for "Noughts and Crosses," with the framework all ready, can now be obtained. It has places for the names of the players, and the date.

"French and English," another game for two, belongs to the family of "Noughts and Crosses," and can be played anywhere and on any scrap of paper. You first decide which will be English and which French. Each player then takes one-half of the paper and covers it with, say, sixty dots. It does not matter how many, but there must be the same numberon each side. Then in a corner each draws a cannon, or draws something that can be called a cannon for the purposes of the game. You then decide how many turns you will have. The game is played by placing the pencil on the cannon, shutting your eyes, and dashing the pencil across your enemy's side of the paper, straight or crooked, in any direction you like. Then you open your eyes, count how many dots the pencil line has passed through, and score them down. The player who, at the end of the number of turns settled upon, has gone through the greatest number of dots is the winner.

A box of letters is an unfailing help to pass the time. A word will sometimes keep a player puzzling for hours, which is, of course, too long. "Pomegranate," "Orchestra," and "Scythe" are good examples of difficult words.

You can also take words and sentences seen on the journey, such as "Wait till the train stops," and "Pears' Soap," and see how many words they will make. A more difficult task is to make anagrams of advertisements. "Lipton's Teas," for instance, makes "Taste on, lips."

The word-making game has been adapted into a writing competition. Each of the company is handed a card which has been prepared for the purpose beforehand by having names of a dozen animals, or towns, or flowers, or birds, or whatever it may be, written on it in what might be called twisted spelling. For instance, "butterfly" might be spelled thus, "trelbyfut," and "Manchester" thus, "Tramschene." A certain amount of time is given, and the winner is the player who has found out most words therein.

A version of this game is to dot out all the letters of theword except the first and the last. You would put "Elephant" on the paper thus, E......t, and tell your companion it was the name of an animal. Or you might write "Peppermint" thus, P........t, and tell him it was the name of a sweet.

This is a more difficult game, very suitable for a tiring journey. The two players sit side by side, and one of them dots out on a piece of paper the words of a proverb or well-known line of poetry. Thus, "I met a little cottage girl" would be set down in this way:—

. ... . ...... ....... ....

Underneath this line a small gallows is erected. Thus:—

Hanging 1

The game is for the other player to discover the line. In order to do this he is permitted to ask his opponent for letters. Perhaps he will begin by asking, "May I have an 'a,'" because there are few sentences that do not contain an "a." His opponent will then put the first "a" in. Thus:—

. ... a ...... ....... ....

Then perhaps another "a" will be asked for, and the line will come out thus:—

. ... a ...... ....a.. ....

Then perhaps an "e":—

. .e. a ...... ....a.. ....

So far all has gone favorably with the guesser, and the gallows is still untouched. But perhaps he will now venture to ask for a consonant (which is much more risky than a vowel), and will say, "May I have an 's'?" As there is no "s" in the line the reply will be against it, and the opponent will at once append to the rope of the gallows a small head. Thus:—

Hanging 1

This means that the guesser has lost one out of a possible six points, the others being his body, his two arms and two legs. For each letter he asks for in vain he loses one of these, and when all have gone he has lost the game too. Sometimes, however, the quotation can be detected very quickly.

Many games usually kept for the house can be played in the train. "Old Maid" (seep. 79) is a good train game; so is "Buz" (seep. 167). A "Fox and Geese" board, or a draughtboard, will help to pass the time.

Food is a great help toward shortening a long journey. A little picnic every hour, if it is permitted, is something not toodistant to look forward to, and it may take up ten minutes each time. A larger meal all at once may, of course, be more convenient, but, if not, the hourly picnic is worth trying.

This is the simplest game possible but will while away endless hours. It is played with nothing but your hands, which are made to assume three positions: one with clenched fist; one spread out flat; and one with first and second finger spread apart like the blades of scissors. The first is called "the stone," the second "the paper" and the third "the scissors." Very rapidly both players strike their right hand (clenched) into the left palm three times, and then both at the same instant bring up the right hand in one of the three positions. The winner is determined by this formula: "Scissors cut paper. Stone breaks scissors. Paper wraps stone." That is if you have made your hand "the stone" and your companion "the paper," he wins. But if you had chosen "the scissors" you would have won. The winner must call out the formula that fits the case, "Scissors cut paper" for instance, and count is kept of the number of losses and gains. The one who comes out ahead after a half-hour's contest is the winner of that bout.

Chinese GamblingChinese Gambling

Among the best toys with which to play alone are bricks, soldiers, balls, battledore and shuttlecock, and dolls. No one needs any hints as how to play with them; but it might be remarked that ordinary bought bricks being rarely what they should be, it is better, if possible, to get a carpenter to make some of a more useful size, say four inches long, one and a half inches wide, and an inch thick. With a hundred of these you can do almost anything in the way of building, and if made of tough wood they ought to last forever.

A good game of soldiers is to see how many shots are required from a cannon to kill the whole regiment. The cannon can either be a spring cannon or a pop-gun, or a pea-shooter. Just at first it is almost impossible not to clear off two or three men with each shot, but later it becomes more difficult and exciting.

With a box of ninepins very much the same game can be played. In wet weather, in the hall, a box of large ninepins is invaluable.

A good quiet game to play alone is "Spanish Cup and Ball." A long stick has fastened to it a loop of wire standing out at right angles, thus. To this is attached by a long string a worsted, or a very light rubber ball. The game is to see how many times you can throw the ball up to the ceiling and catch it in the loop of wire as it falls.

Back to Index Next