Page:Handbook for Boys.djvu/334

Rh out. Every time a member is struck he is dead, and takes his place among those of the circle. Now he has a chance to throw at those remaining in the centre. This arrangement keeps all taking part busy. Only one is out at a time. This being kept up until finally only one is left. He is hailed the king. For next round, players exchange places, i.e., those who were in the centre now form the circle.

Note: .If the touch is t)receded by a bound of the' ball it does not count.

Prisoner's Base Goals are marked off at both ends of the playground, the players divided into two equal divisions, occupying the two goals. About ten paces to the right of each goal is a prison. A player advances toward the opposite goal, when one from that goal starts out to catch him. He retreats, and one from his side runs to his rescue by trying, to catch the pursuer — who in turn is succored by one from his side, and so on. Every player may catch any one from the opposite side who has been out of goal longer than he has. Any player caught is conducted to the prison by his captor and must remain there until rescued by some one from his side, who touches him with the hand. The one who does this is subject to being caught like any other player.

Throwing the Spear The game is an old Greek and Persian pastime. "Throw the spear and speak the truth," was a national maxim of the Persians that we may copy with advantage.

The apparatus required is some light spears and an archery target. The spears should vary from five to six feet in length; the point should be shod with a steel tip, having a socket into which the wooden handle is fitted, and made fast by small screws passing through holes in the sides of the metal, and then into the wood itself. The wood, for about a foot above the barb, should be about three quarters of an inch in diameter, and from thence gradually taper to about a quarter of an inch in thickness, until the end of the spear is reached.

Some spears are fitted with feathers, like an arrow, but these are not necessary to obtain a good throw, and soon get dismantled in continually falling uvon the ground. Any ordinary target will serve. It may be an archery target, a sack full of straw, or a sod bank.