JACK FAGOTS

This game is the same in principle as Jackstraws except that fagots or sticks of wood two feet long are used in place of jackstraws.  They are removed from a pile with a crooked stick and must be taken out one at a time without disturbing the rest.  The number of sticks removed constitutes a player’s score.  When any stick other than the one he is trying for is moved he loses his turn.  The next player must attempt to remove the same stick that the other failed on.  The game is won by the player having the greatest number of sticks to his credit.

JAPANESE FAN BALL

This game is especially adapted for a lawn party for girls.  Either Japanese fans or the ordinary palm-leaf fans will do for rackets.  The balls are made of paper and should be six or eight inches in diameter and in various colours.  At opposite ends of a space about the size of a tennis court are erected goal-posts similar to those used in football, but only six feet above ground.  These may be made of light strips of wood.  There is also a similar pair of posts and a crossbar midway between the goals.

The game is played by two contestants at a time.  Each takes an opposite end of the court and tosses the ball into the air.  Then by vigorous fanning she endeavours to keep it aloft and to drive it over the opponent’s goal-post.  At the middle posts the ball must be “fanned” under the crossbar.  If the ball falls to the ground it may be picked up on the fan and tossed aloft again, but it must not be touched by the hands.  The winner is the one who first drives the ball the length of the court and over the crossbar.

KICK THE STICK

One player is chosen to be “it” and the rest are given a count of twenty-five or fifty to hide.  A stick is leaned against a tree or wall and this is the home goal.  As soon as the goal keeper can spy one of the players he runs in and touches the stick and makes a prisoner, who must come in and stand behind the stick.  If one of the free players can run in and kick the stick before the goal tender touches it, he frees all the rest and they scurry to a place of hiding before the stick can again be set up and the count of twenty-five made.  As the object of the game is to free your fellow-prisoners, the free players will attempt all sorts of ruses to approach the stick without being seen or to make a dash for it in hope of kicking it ahead of the goal keeper.  The game is over when all the players are captured, and the first prisoner is “it” for the next game.

KING OF THE CASTLE

This can be made a very rough game, as it simply consists in a player taking a position on a mound or hillock and defying any one to dislodge him from his position by the taunting words: