CHAPTER XVI

BASEBALL, THE GREAT AMERICAN GAME. A FEW POINTERS THAT MAY HELP YOU

The best baseball field is level and smooth. It is best, if it can be had, to start with the right kind of a layout.

The catcher, or back stop, as he is called by professionals, is usually in front of the observation stand, or a board wall or other obstruction. This is usually ninety feet from the home plate.

If you fasten a cord one hundred and twenty-seven feet four inches long straight out in the field, the place for second base is found.

This done, take a rope or line one hundred and eighty feet long, fasten one end to the home plate and the other to second base; then draw the middle of the line at first to the right and then to the left, till it is tight. This will mark the places of first and third base.

The place of the pitcher's box is fixed by measuring a line of fifty feet from home to second base. The pitcher's box should be five feet six inches long by four feet wide. For batsman there are two positions, one for the left and the other for the right handed. The batsman's stand is two rectangular spaces, each six feet long and four feet wide. The nearest line should be six inches from the home plate, and should extend three feet in front and three feet behind the center of the home plate.

Having thus laid out the field, we proceed to further mark the various points. In doing this, if the field is to be a permanent one, it is best to make use of the most improved apparatus; but if the field is only a temporary one, there are various devices which save expense, and which answer the purpose quite satisfactorily. The home plate is, by the rules, a whitened piece of rubber a foot square, sunk flush with the ground, its outer edges being within the lines to first and third bases. An excellent substitute for rubber is a piece of board painted white, or a bit of marble such as can be readily obtained at any marble yard. The first, second and third bases are canvas bags, 15 inches square, stuffed with any soft material, and so fastened as to have their centers at the corners of the diamond which we have already marked out. They will thus extend several inches outside the diamond. The customary method of fastening the bag is by means of a leather strap passing through loops upon the bag and directly around the center. This strap is slipped through an iron staple in the top of a post driven firmly into the ground at the corner of the diamond, and the strap is then buckled on the under side of the bag.

The wooden post and the iron staples can easily be had. It is better to have them to keep the base fixed. A stone is apt to work injury.

The bags can be homemade, from old carpets, or old mattresses, or even from shavings or hay, stuffed into little calico or canvas pillows. A piece of stout clothes line will answer for more expensive straps.

The pitcher's box must be permanently marked. This is done by sinking into the ground an iron plate, stone or a wooden post, four or six inches square.

If there is thick grass in the infield it must be cut from the pitcher's box to the back-stop, nine feet in width, or better still remove the sod and fill in the space with hard-packed earth. The players will soon make the batting-crease and base lines marked on the field.

To make a fair division of labor in laying out a field, let three boys agree to furnish the iron staples, and posts for the bases and pitcher's position, seven in all. The four for the pitcher's box may be anywhere from three to six inches square at the top, and two feet long; those for the bases being three inches in diameter; and all of these sharpened to drive in like stakes. The staples, three in number, should be two inches wide. Let three others agree to furnish the bases; one boy to provide the six pieces of stuff—about sixteen inches square, another boy to furnish three two inch straps with buckles, or else sufficient rope. The straps must not be less than a yard long. The third boy can see that the bags are looped for the straps, stuffed and properly sewn. Three other boys can agree to furnish the home plate, and to bring to the ground implements for marking and laying out, viz.: a tape line two hundred feet long, a supply of cord, a sharp spade, a sledge hammer to drive stakes, a small hammer to drive in staples, some lime to mark out the lines, and a pail to wet it in. A tennis marker will save much work. The best ball to purchase is the regular "league" ball. These balls are the most uniform in manufacture and quality, and give the best satisfaction in the long run. It is worth while to purchase more than one, because it often happens that wet grass ruins the cover of the ball. When a base ball has been used in wet weather it should be put aside, and the next time the nine wish to practice on a wet day this ball, which will be very hard, should be used. As soon as it is wet it softens again, and it is just as useful as a new one would be after wetting. Constant wetting rots the covers, but a harness-maker will re-cover the balls, and they can be used for practice.

In bats there is more variety. A special bat is said to be made of wagon-tongue, but the more commonly favored is of ash, second growth, thoroughly seasoned. These can be bought for from twenty-five cents to one dollar each, according to quality. Lighter bats are made of willow; and the cheapest of basswood. These do not last so well as ash, however.

The rules specify that the bat shall not be over two and a half inches in diameter, nor more than forty-two inches in length. In selecting a bat, individual taste is the best guide as to matters of weight and balance, but the grain should be examined carefully. If a bat is varnished, the handle should be scraped, so that it will not turn easily in the hands.

The first baseman and catcher should each wear gloves to protect the hands from the pounding which playing these positions involves.

You can make a pair of baseball gloves out of a stout pair of buckskins. The fingers and thumbs should be cut off at the first joint for the baseman, and if any extra padding is needed, pieces of felt can be sewn on. The catcher's gloves can be made in a similar way, except that the left-hand glove is kept whole and the ends of the fingers reinforced by heavy leather tips. A shoemaker can put on these tips which should be about an inch and a half long. Both gloves should have padding in the palm and over the ball of the thumb. This padding can be made of as many layers of felt as are desired, sewn in when the glove is turned wrong side out. The pads should be so cut that they run up into the finger a little way, and thus form a protection for the base of the fingers. Every man who catches should wear a mask. A body protector will also save many a bruise.

Individual uniforms should be considered where clubs are formed, and let me say it is better to start with a club. Uniforms for boys need not be expensive; shirts of one color will do with the addition of a home cap. Pads on the knees and along the thighs, as well as rough mitts are of use in sliding.

Any number of players may belong to a club, but only nine can play on a side. Each side must have a captain, who must be a good leader as well as a good player.

The umpire is chosen by both sides to decide questions in dispute. There is no appeal from his decision, even where both sides think him in error.

It would take a whole book properly to go into the details of baseball, but no instructions can take the place of practice, and it will be better if this can be done under the direction of an expert.

RULES

Here are a few baseball rules that it will be well to remember:

1. The infield must be thirty yards square.

2. The bases must be four in number.

3. The ball must weigh not less than five nor more than five and a quarter ounces. It must be not less than nine nor more than nine and a quarter inches in circumference.

4. The bat must be wholly of wood, except that the handle may be wound with cord or wire. The length must not exceed forty-two inches nor the diameter, at the thickest, more than two and a half inches.

5. The players on each side shall be nine. The captain assigns them their places.

6. The pitcher must keep both feet on the ground, except when throwing the ball.

7. Players' benches, out of the way, must be furnished by the home club. 8. Each game must consist of nine innings. If the side first at bat scores less in nine innings than the other did in eight, the game is ended.

9. If after nine innings the score is a tie, the game shall continue unless called off by the umpire.

10. The game shall be forfeited if a player comes too late, or does not take the bat after five minutes when "game" is called.

11. Every club shall be required to have one or more substitutes, in the event of an accident to a regular player.

12. Men on the bases cannot have substitutes run for them.

13. The choice of innings shall be given to the captain of the home club.

14. A dead ball is one that strikes the bat without being struck at.

15. A score shall be counted every time a base run is made.

16. A ball that goes over the fence, outside the two hundred and thirty feet line, wins two bases.

17. A foul strike is when the batsman hits, when he is not in position.

18. The runner must touch each base in its order.

19. No umpire shall be changed during the game.

20. A coach is restricted to instructing the base runners only.

AUTUMN

CHAPTER XVII

SOME DETAILS ABOUT FOOTBALL

The mere act of kicking a football is a good exercise in itself, but very few who do so, particularly among boys, know anything about the game.

In England and her colonies there are innumerable football clubs in every town and village, but in this country the game is largely confined to colleges, and even in these not all the students play; indeed, so many are the physical requirements and so strenuous is the work that only those with extraordinary strength and activity are selected in the making up of teams. Yet, as it is, when properly played, one of our best out-door games, I think it well that my boy readers should know something about it.

At one time there were fifteen players on a side; now eleven is the legal number. The ground has much the same appearance of a gridiron, and the name "gridiron" is often applied to it, just as "diamond" is applied to the space marked off for that game.

Along the field the ball is urged, in ways presently to be explained, and which only the strong and active would care to carry out if pleasure in the strenuous sport were not its own great reward.

The ball used in this game is shaped somewhat like a lemon, or two cones joined at their bases. From the middle the angle of slope must be the same to the two ends.

The cover is of leather, and enclosed in this is an inflated bladder or an inflated rubber ball of the same shape. The work of inflating is done through a nozzle or opening as in a rubber tire and it is closed in much the same way. This is done before the cover is put on.

The football field is not hard to mark out; as in baseball, the flatter and smoother the better. The field is rectangular, one hundred and sixty feet wide by three hundred and thirty feet long. For convenience in telling the position of the ball, lines, indicated by whitewash as in tennis, are drawn across the field, fifteen feet apart.

In laying out, measure eighty feet from one corner along the line and mark the point. On the opposite end mark in the same way. The end lines being one hundred and sixty feet long, the points indicated will mark the center of the lines. Next measure nine feet three inches to the right, and the same to the left of the center points on the end lines, and place four goal posts, two at each end of the field. This will leave the proper space, eighteen feet, six inches between the posts. On these posts, and ten feet from the ground, the cross bars should be placed. The uprights should extend above the cross bar just ten feet.

THE TEAM

The teams in football consist of eleven men each, but where boys are out for practice, they need not be bound by the regular rules.

The eleven men are classified into "rushes" and "backs." There is a quarter back, two half backs and a full back. The first seven are line men, further known as center, right guard, right tackle, right end, left guard, left tackle and left end. Each player is given a number to designate him and this number is known to the captain only.

The kicks have special names.

Drop-kick, when the ball is dropped from the hand and kicked the instant it touches the ground; the

Place-kick, made by kicking the ball after it has been placed on the ground; the Punt, made by kicking the ball as it falls from the hands and before it reaches the ground; the

Kick-off is a place-kick made from the center of the field. The kick- off cannot score a goal. The

Kick-out, when one of the players on the side which has touched the ball down in its own goal makes a punt, drop-kick or place-kick. A

Free-kick, any kick where the rules forbid the opponents from advancing beyond a certain point.

In-touch is out of bounds.

A Touch-down is when the ball is kicked or carried across the goal line and held there.

A Touch-back is when the player touches the ball to the ground behind his own goal, the ball having been propelled over the line by an opponent.

A Safety Touch-down is when either by a kick, pass, or a snap-back, the player guarding his goal receives the ball from one of his own side and touches it down behind his goal line, or when he carries the ball across his own goal line and touches it down, or when he puts the ball in his own touch-in-goal, or if the ball, being kicked by one of his own side, bounds back from an enemy across the goal line and the player guarding the goal then touches it down.

SOME RULES

When a kicked ball is caught on the fly by one of the opposite side, the catcher marks with his heel on the ground the spot where the catch was made. The catcher then shouts, "Fair Catch," or he may hold up one hand.

Beyond the heel mark the opponents of the catcher cannot advance till the ball is again put in play. The catcher is entitled to the privilege of falling back towards his own goal, as far as he chooses; from the point selected he may take a place-kick, a drop-kick, or a punt. Instead of this, he may choose to give the ball to one of his own side for a "scrimmage." The scrimmage is governed by special rules.

If the catcher chooses to kick, he must drive the ball at least ten yards, unless stopped by one of the other side.

A player is said to be "on side" when he is not between the ball and the opponent's goal, or is where the ball touches an opponent. When a ball goes out of bounds, it is called going "into touch." In such case, a player is sent to bring it back to the place where it crossed the line. A member of the side that sent the ball out of bounds puts it again into play.

When a player carriers the ball across one of the end lines he obtains what is called a "touch-down."

Any player on this side may now take out the ball; he makes a mark as he walks by twisting his heel. When he has reached a point that suits, he places the ball for one of his own side to kick. The other side meanwhile retires to its own goal line.

When the ball has been carried to within kicking distance of the goal, the question of the kind of kick needed is often a question for deliberation.

At any time a player may carry the ball across his own goal line, and touch it down there for safety. This counts two points for the other side, or instead the side may take the ball out twenty-five yards for a kick-out.

The moment the ball touches the ground it is "in play," and the enemy lines up on their goal line will block the kick, if possible.

The formation is to a great extent governed by the plays to be made, but as a general rule the seven rushers stand in line of battle facing their opponents. Just behind the rushers stands the quarter-back, and a few yards in the rear of him the two half-backs are placed; while a dozen yards further back, alone in his glory, the full-back guards his precious goal.

If a strong wind is blowing, the winner of the toss-up takes the side favored by the wind, and the other team have the kick-off. If there is no wind to speak of, and no great advantage in either goal, the winner of the toss-up chooses the kick-off, and the other side have the choice of goals.

The two teams now line up in their respective positions, and the ball is placed upon the exact center of the field by the side having the kick-off.

THE FULL-BACK

As a rule the full-back is a good kicker and is selected to open the game.

To the right of the ball on the line stands right-guard, alongside of him is right-tackle, next to him is right-end, then comes right half- back and quarter-back, while stretched out on the line to the left of the ball are the center, left-guard, left-tackle, left-end and left half-back. All these sturdy men are ready to rush upon their opponents the moment full-back's toe touches the ball.

As the rules require the opposite side to stand at least ten yards back of the middle line, they form themselves in a sort of rough triangle so as to be able to guard the field and stop the ball with the least possible waste of time. At the required ten yards back of the center line, center of the opposing side is posted, back of center stand the two guards, back of them the two tackles with the quarter- back between them, behind them the two half-backs are stationed with full-back in front of his goal.

As there are no rules for placing the men on the field, this formation is altered to suit the captains.

The player selected to kick the ball must send it at least ten yards into the opponent's camp, and it is usually sent as much farther as the judgment of the kicker directs. When the ball comes sailing over into their ranks the enemy catch it and either return it by a kick or one of them runs with the ball.

When the player made the kick-off he calculated that the rushers on his side could reach the ball in time to prevent the enemy making much headway with it, and the enemy calculated to interfere in all lawful ways with the kick-off's rushers. If the enemy who holds the ball starts for a run, the men on the other side tackle him.

As soon as the player and ball are brought to a standstill the runner cries "down." Then some one on the runner's side places the ball on the ground at the spot where it stopped, and it is put in play by the snap-back kicking it or snapping it back, usually with his hand, but sometimes with his foot, to the quarter-back of his own side, who has taken a position just behind snap-back. Up to this time the men of each team have kept their positions upon their own side, but as soon as the ball is put in motion both sides may press forward and the scrimmage begins.

When a snap-back is to be made they arrange themselves in this way: Center holds the ball, behind him stands quarterback; more to the rear is full-back, with left half-back and right half-back a little to the front. Flanking these and slightly in advance are the two ends.

Each of these is ready to receive the ball, at a signal from quarter- back.

On either side of center are two guards, and two tackles, and the rival fives face each other.

When the ball is put in play there is a grand rush. The runner with the ball is surrounded by friends who try to force their way through the opposing line.

It is impossible in a general article to go into all the details of this popular game. Many authors have tried to make the rules and the methods plain, but they have not succeeded very well. The best way to learn is from an old player or to watch old players at the game. The points of the game are counted as follows:

 Goal by touch-down 2
 Touch-down without goal 4
 Safety by opponent 2

CHAPTER XVIII

A HINT AT SOME WELL-KNOWN GAMES, INCLUDING HOP-SCOTCH

During a good deal of world-travelling I cannot recall ever having seen a game of Mumbly Peg played outside of the United States and Canada. I have placed it among the autumn games, but we all know that, except in winter when the conditions are unfavorable, it can be played at any time, where two boys and a jackknife can be assembled, with reasonably soft, smooth ground on which to play.

This game has so many variations locally and even among individual players that I shall not attempt a detailed description of the many ways in which the blade of the knife is made to enter the ground.

The feats, known to every boy, can be performed alone, and, when a boy, I know I did practice a lot by myself in order to avoid the consequences of defeat.

The rule is for the first boy to take the knife and go through as many feats as he can, but at the first failure the second boy takes the knife and does the same. And when all but one have succeeded, the penalty for failure is as follows:

A wooden peg two inches long is driven into the ground. A little must be left above the earth. The defeated boy has then to seize this with his teeth and draw it out. If he has difficulty in getting hold, the other boys are the more delighted and set up the cry, "Root! Root!" but this is not fair, and he should not be discouraged.

JACK STONES

is a much older and a more widespread game than mumbly peg. The knuckle bones of sheep and pigs, marbles, pebbles or any other small, heavy objects that can be thrown and grasped, are used. The best are made of iron and are sold cheaply.

Five stones or jacks are necessary for the game, a description of which I shall not attempt, for the feats vary, and the ingenious boy can add to them.

There may be a penalty decided on in the game of jack stones, but it is not usual, and so may be placed among those contests of skill in which success is its own reward.

HOP SCOTCH

is a far more strenuous game than the two just mentioned, nor, when properly played, is it behind them in the skill required. Of course, the best place for all games is out in the open country, but the children in towns and cities do not cease from the play for want of space.

Except when covered with snow and ice, Hop Scotch courts can be seen chalked out on the sidewalks of all our city blocks. A bit of brick, a flat stone, a shell, the lid of a blacking box, indeed any small object that can be moved by the foot can be used as what is known as the "Potsherd."

After choosing who shall be first, second, etc., the player stands at taw and tosses the potsherd into division number one. Hopping on one foot over the line into number one, and still keeping one foot raised, he makes a hop-kick with the other and sends the potsherd out of the number to that in the right or left section, as may be decided on in advance. There are many local variations of the rules, just as there are variations of the plan of the ground, and perhaps the one you know best is the best.

Hop Scotch may seem simple to those who have never tried it. In truth it is a game which, even in its simplest form, requires much skill and activity. But it is excellent for the muscles of the leg and it cultivates patience and persistency.

RULES

When a player touches his hand or foot to the ground it is called "grounds," and he is out.

When a player pitches the potsherd into the wrong division or on a line, he is out.

When a player kicks into the wrong division or on a line, he is out. In the next turn he must play from taw. When the turns of the others come they must begin at the division in which they failed.

CHAPTER XIX

HOW TO CAMP OUT—THINGS EVERY CAMPER SHOULD KNOW

Camping out is not in itself a game, but it would be hard to imagine a more delightful way for the boy or the man who has still something of the boy in him to spend a vacation.

Of course, boys in the country have more opportunities to learn about camping than boys living in the city. One thing is that they are more familiar with tools, but city boys are perhaps more eager for the life, as it is so primitive and in such striking contrast to their usual way of living.

Before going into camp there are many things for the camper to learn if he does not know how, and one of these things is how to make a fire. If one has matches, kindling and wood there is no trick in making a camp fire, but there is a good trick in making a fire where there are no matches and the wood is green or wet. Of course, you know that men built fires in houses and camps many, many hundreds of years ago, but you may not know that up to one hundred years ago matches, which are now so cheap and so abundant, were practically unknown. How, then, did they start fires?

Our own Indians get fire—I have seen them do it—by rotating a hard upright stick in a cup-shaped hollow of lighter wood, in which dry charcoal or the fungus-like shavings of punk were placed. Cotton or any other substance that ignites easily would answer as well. This is getting fire by friction.

Every hunter in the West and among the Indians and Mexicans of two continents now carries a flint and steel, and a dry substance to catch and retain the spark. This substance with a full outfit can now be had in most stores that supply sporting goods, and every camper should have a supply.

The back of a jackknife, a bit of flint-like rock, such as quartz, and some very dry cotton lint—kept for protection in a close box—will do just as well as the manufactured outfit, and it can nearly always be had. If you carry half-charred cotton rags in a box or bottle you will find them of use in making fire.

SHELTER

Camps are either temporary, that is changed from day to day, or they are permanent and may be visited year after year, or they may be used for a few weeks at a time. Temporary camps are the ones we are considering, and these can be elaborate or very, very simple. I prefer the latter, and I am sure the boys will agree with me.

During the autumn and when the weather is dry and the nights not too cool, the best way to camp is in the open, sleeping on beds of boughs, about a roaring fire, and with one blanket under and another over.

Small dog tents, such as our soldiers carried in the Civil War, are cheap and very convenient. Each man carried a section, and two made a tent, into which two men crawled when it rained, but in dry weather they preferred to sleep in the open, even when it was freezing.

Shelters of boughs, arranged A fashion from a ridge pole make good temporary shelters and are first rate as wind brakes at night.

If you have to sleep on the ground, you should have a poncho, that is a blanket faced with rubber on one side, to keep the body from too close a contact with the wet earth. The ideal camping place is near a good spring or beside a stream of pure water, in a natural grove with plenty of dry dead wood in the vicinity. The dry wood should be protected from rain if you are camping in the same place for some time.

The camp fire should be made of two thick green sticks or legs to be used as andirons. These should be placed about eighteen inches apart, so as to keep the lighter, dryer fuel off the ground. They will also serve to support the cooking pots. Where stones can be had, they serve well for andirons.

A shack built of crossed logs requires some time to build and some skill to make, but it is not beyond the reach of any boy who has seen —and who has not—an old-fashioned log shanty.

Be sure to select a dry place for your camp, and if you are to stay for any time take care to keep it scrupulously clean, burning every scrap that might attract flies or the smaller wild animals, or might make a stench.

Mr. Beard, an authority in such matters, writes:

"Never pitch your tent in a hollow or depression, or you may find yourself in the middle of a pond. Soldiers always dig a ditch around their tents. The floor, which is often your bed, can be covered with straw, if straw is obtainable; if not, fir boughs; these lie flatter than spruce. It is best to lay the foundation of good-sized branches, cover them with smaller ones, and over all place a deep layer of fir twigs broken off the length of your hand and laid shingle-fashion, commencing at the foot of your bed, or the doorway of your shack or tent, each succeeding row of boughs covering the thick ends of the previous row. A properly made bough bed is as comfortable as a mattress, but one in which the ends of the sticks prod your ribs all night is not a couch that tends to make a comfortable night's rest.

"Candles, lamps and lanterns add to the luggage of a camper and may be dispensed with, yet it often happens that you will need a light at night. If you do, remember that almost any sort of fat or grease will burn with a wick."

Boys from our cities have even a greater desire to get back to the heart of Mother Nature than have country boys, perhaps because they find a greater novelty in the forests, the streams and the untrammelled conditions of our primitive ancestors. But even the boy brought up on the farm heartily enjoys the freedom of the camp, and he takes naturally to all its requirements.

IF LOST

But all boys, even trained foresters, are apt to get lost in strange woods; but no matter the person, it is well to know what to do under such circumstances. As a rule the denser growth of moss on trees is on the north side. This knowledge may help find the direction; but it is better to carry a small pocket compass.

When the sky is clear, the sun and the stars help to guide the course, and if followed one is saved from travelling in a circle, as the lost are pretty sure to do in a dense forest.

If twigs are broken from bushes they will serve to show the course to those out searching. A good plan is to follow down the course of a stream, which always flows into a larger body of water and will lead to some abode. If a hill is accessible, the lay of the land may be had from its summit.

In any event, should you be lost, do not get rattled. You will be missed in camp and a search will be made by your friends. If you have to stay in the woods all night, make the best of it. Others have made the best of it by sleeping near the foot of a tree or beside a log. It will be more cheery if you can make a fire without danger to the woods.

THE OUTFIT

Now the camping outfit, including enough provisions for the proposed stay, must be carried, and unless the stay is to be short, a wagon or pack animals should be provided for this purpose. In the army and out West mules are used for this purpose, but any quiet horse will do just as well.

The old sawbuck saddle, shaped like the letter X, answers very well, but the Mexican pack, known as the aparcho, is much better. It is made of a plated straw matting, on which is fastened a strong wicker-work saddle, and a properly folded blanket, for you must be careful that the animal's back does not get sore. The saddle is fastened by pliant ropes, or broad belts of leather, called in the West "cinches," to fasten which securely requires some skill, as they pass through a circular ring and are secured by a hitch or peculiar knot that holds well and can be unfastened with a quick jerk.

For a journey of ten miles or more I would not advise you to make the pack load more than two hundred pounds, though I have known mules to carry three hundred pounds at a pace of twenty miles a day over rough trails.

If the pack is heavy, it may be lightened by having each camper carry his own blankets, in a roll, the case resting on the right shoulder. I would advise each to carry a canteen if there is danger of your being long away from good water.

You should have the following articles: A long-handled frying pan, a bunch of a half dozen pieces of telegraph wire, each two feet long, with which to make a spider or broiler; by simply laying them across the fire or over the hot coals you have a gridiron; you may bundle it up when its work is done; three or four assorted tin buckets for cooking purposes and for water; a tin coffee pot; a long iron fork; a long iron spoon; some cheap tin cups, plates and spoons, and some forks and knives.

Do not depend upon the fish and game for food supply, but take along some boneless bacon and fat pork. With the latter, you can cook your fish, and the former is good for a relish with whatever fresh meat you may secure. Then you should have some good ground coffee in a tightly closed box. Some tea in a screw-top glass preserve jar, sugar, salt, prepared flour, corn meal, rice, beans, oatmeal, condensed milk, evaporated cream, crackers, and as much canned or dried fruits as you can transport without overloading—these are not necessaries, but all of them will come handy.

Worth Remembering. It is not well for a lot of boys, no matter how strong and intelligent, to go off camping unless one of their number has had practical experience in that kind of life. It would be better to have a man in the party and to follow his instructions, as a soldier obeys his superior.

Before starting off it will be well to learn just what each member of the party can do best, and assign him to that work for the time. Afterwards it might be advisable to take turns at the work thought to be least agreeable.

Cooking, washing dishes, gathering fuel and keeping the camp in order are just as essential as hunting or fishing, more so, indeed; for cooking, etc., are necessary, while fishing and hunting are pleasures.

Keep your own person clean and carry along needles and thread so that you may be able to repair the rents in your own clothes.

Before going into camp every boy should know how to wash, dry and fold his own flannel shirt, stockings and handkerchiefs.

The captain of the camp should write out his orders and post them so that they can be read by all; nothing should be left to chance.

Under all circumstances keep your temper and remember your companions are entitled to a good time as well as yourself.

Don't be selfish, and don't go camping with boys who have that vulgar characteristic.

CHAPTER XX

CAN YOU RIDE A "BIKE?" SOME THINGS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THE WHEEL, AND SOMETHING ABOUT OTHER THINGS

To begin with, I am not going to tell you how to ride a bicycle. The only way to learn that is to get a wheel, and if it bucks you off, mount again and keep on trying until you master the machine.

I have heard folks say that the bicycle is going out of fashion. That is sheer nonsense! What have boys, or sturdy young men, or sturdy old ones for that matter, to do with fashion? The bike is here, and it has come to stay, and to go on revolving as long as folks live on a revolving world.

Bike parties that make explorations lasting for days, or even for weeks, are now not unusual, and if they travel prepared to make camp wherever night overtakes them, the more healthful the sport and the more novel and independent the tour. You should know how to carry the necessary baggage on your wheel. It is customary in ordinary wheeling to strip a machine of every ounce of weight not necessary. Many riders travel without even a tool bag, pump or wrench. The additional weight of a few tools cannot be sufficient to make much difference to a rider.

If you are a "scorcher" and are out to pass everything you meet, the less weight you carry the better time you can make. But the wheel is used by most boys for other purposes.

The pathway of the biker is not always straight and smooth, as every boy who has ridden a wheel knows. The collision can always be avoided by good eyes and reasonable speed, but no eyes are keen enough to note, and no skill alert enough to avoid the broken glass, or the bits of scrap iron that beset the path and puncture the tire.

REPAIRS

A friend assures me that he has mended a punctured tire with chewing gum. Now I do not think well of the chewing gum habit, but if the stuff can be found to have better uses, I am not the one to discourage it. So it might be well to carry a supply to fill punctured tires. This is said to be the way to use it. Let all the air out of the tire, then with a flat piece of wood force the gum into the hole—of course the gum must be "chewed" first to make it soft. Plaster some over the hole, then bind the place with a strip of rag on your handkerchief. This done, pump in the air and ride with care.

A broken handle bar is bad, but a substitute that will work can be made if you have some strong string and a stout pocket knife. Cut two sections of a springy sapling, and bind them securely to the front fork, one on either side, and sufficiently long to reach just above the broken bar. Next tie securely a stout stick of proper length to the broken bar, and tie to this the end of the uprights. If properly done, this will enable you to finish your journey, which for a long distance is much pleasanter than walking and leading your wheel.

A rope tire will often enable the rider to reach home. A few yards of clothesline, borrowed, begged, or bought from some wayside house, will enable you to make a solid tire. Remove the rubber tire, tie it to your handle-bar, and take the rope and bend one end diagonally across the hollow in the rim of the wheel. Wind the rope carefully around, over the bent end of the rope, around again alongside of the first length until the rim is covered. Keep the line tight, and wind it until it fills up the hollow and is considerably higher in the middle than at the sides. The neater this work is done, the more comfortable will be your ride home. When the rope tire is complete, pry up the side lap and force the free end of the rope diagonally under it until it comes out on the other side. Draw it taut and cut off the end flush with the outer wrapping. Now pour water all over the rope until it is thoroughly wet; this will cause it to shrink and become firm and hard.

Have a stand for your bicycle when not in use, and keep the wheel clean and well oiled. No boy is worthy to own a tool or a toy, or anything else that is perishable, if he is too lazy or too careless to have a pride in it, and to keep it in the highest state of efficiency.

The very best time to make needed repairs is when the need is discovered. Never wait until the time comes to use the thing again. The boy who gets into that habit is disqualifying himself for the battle of life, in which promptness, accuracy and energy are the prime requisites to success.

If you cannot take care of your things, or prefer to resign that duty to others, then resign your ownership too, and let some more deserving comrades own them.

I have often wondered why "the rope"—as our western cowboys call the lariat, and the Mexican lariata—has not become a national sport, for its proper use requires great skill, and it is distinctly an American institution.

Children of the Mexican herders begin practicing with the lariat as soon as they can coil a rope. I have seen them catching cats and chickens with their little lariats, and their dexterity surprised me.

The lariat may be of any length from twenty to eighty feet. It consists of a long, strong, flexible rope, with a running noose at the end thrown. I have seen them made of hemp, horse hair and raw hide— the latter are by far the best, provided they are flexible and soft enough. The raw hide is cut and specially tanned, but for practice an ordinary thin rope will do.

The noose is made by fastening a small iron eyelet to an end of the rope, and through this the other end is drawn.

The greater part of the rope is held coiled in the left hand, while the noose is circled above the head with the right, and thrown when the proper swing has been reached.

A post makes a good target. It should be, to start with, not more than ten feet away. After a time the distance can be increased, and the nature of the target changed.

You will be surprised, if you try this, at the skill you will gain, and the pleasure the lariat will afford to yourself and companions.

CHAPTER XXI

THE OLD SCOTCH GAME OF GOLF-SOMETHING ABOUT HOCKEY AND SHINNY

In Scotland, where the game comes from, golf has been pronounced "goff" for more than five hundred years.

Now that our President and other great men have taken to golf, everybody reads about the popular game, but very few know anything about it but the name. To such, the following facts may be of use. The game is interesting, and its rules can be soon learned, but like everything else we do for pleasure or profit, it takes a good deal of practice before one can pose as an expert. Boys take to golf and soon excel their seniors.

The equipment for golf consists of a large field, called "the links," to play in, a set of sticks or clubs with which to make the strokes, and a ball to be hit at.

The start is made from a point called "the tee." The player's purpose is to send the ball, which may be rubber or gutta percha, and is about one and three-quarter inches in diameter, into a small hole. This hole may be from twenty to a hundred or more yards away, and the skill consists in doing the trick with the fewest possible number of strokes. The player who makes the most holes with the fewest strokes wins the game. This sounds very simple, and it is simple to understand, but not so easy to do.

THE LINKS

Many of the best links are laid out where the soil is sandy and the grass sparse and stiff. Such links dry quickly after a rain, and the ball is easily played and seen. The course in this country for the regulation game is sometimes three miles long; shorter courses can be laid out for informal work and practice. The links do not extend in a straight line. It is much better to have them wind about and end near the start. By carefully planning the curves, a golf course may be made to occupy limited grounds.

It has become a rule to make eighteen holes constitute a full course. In the United States, however, comparatively few courses have more than nine holes, and good practice can be had upon a course with even a fewer number. The starting-point is called "the teeing-ground," and is marked by two whitewash lines at right angles to the course, forming a parallelogram with the side lines of the course five or six yards in length by two or three in breadth. Within the parallelogram the player places his ball upon a tee or small hill of sand or earth from a half to three-quarters of an inch high.

The holes are about four inches in diameter, and are lined with iron— condensed milk cans or similar vessels may be used—and the ground for seven or eight feet on all sides is more level than the rest of the course and is known as the "putting green." The holes are placed at distances varying from three hundred to twelve hundred feet apart, and are marked by little red flags, which are removed when the player approaches.

As a match game consists of thirty-six holes, eighteen holes gone twice over give the required number; so will nine holes gone over four times, or six holes six times, or four holes nine times, or three holes twelve times. So you see that if your ground is limited you need have but three, four, six or nine holes, and the fewer the holes the fairer becomes the game for strangers, because in going over them so often they learn the ground, and that puts them on an even footing with the home players.

THE CLUBS

The golf clubs are something like shinny sticks in shape, but modified and better made, as the ball must be driven more accurately and much farther. The heads are made of wood or iron. There are a great variety of them, but the beginner does not need more than four or five.

The driver, a large club with a long shaft; the head is wood. It is used to start and when the ball is on the tee.

Let me add here that when the luxury can be afforded, it is usual to employ a boy, known as a "caddy" to carry the bag or receptacle in which the different clubs are kept.

The brassie is much like the driver, except that it has a brass head or plate on the hitting part. It is used for a good send when the ball is in a favorable place.

The cleek and lofter are iron-headed clubs, and are used to drive the ball far and low. A hundred and twenty yard stroke is good, but not unusual.

The golf ball, as I have said, is made of hard rubber, but in learning the game any hard ball of medium size will do, and one club will be enough with which to practice.

Hazards are obstructions in the way of the ball. A bunker is a hazard, such as a fence, wall, hedge, depression, or trees.

The ground between the holes should be cleared as far as possible of all obstructions. Hazards are not objected to by good players, as they add to the sport.

The game called "singles" is where two players, each with his own ball, play against each other.

A "foursomes" is when two players play against another two, each side having a ball and the partners playing alternately.

Often a skilled player will match himself against a number of inferiors; this is called a three or four ball match.

SHINNY

Of course every boy who can wield a stick has played at this fine, simple old game. One does not need many tools for this sport. A stout shinny stick, curved at the business end, like the best walking sticks, and a ball, or even a chunk of wood, if not too heavy, and large, will do.

The game is played between chosen sides under the lead of properly selected captains. Two goals, from ten to a hundred yards apart, are marked out, and between these the ball is placed.

This done, the captains display their skill by stationing their men in such a way that they may guard their respective goals if their opponents are driving that way.

The captains start the ball a-rolling; all are free to dash in and strike, taking care to guard their own heads and not to hurt the heads of the enemy, for this is a contest, not a battle.

Each party must keep on its own side, and each goal gained is a game.

HOCKEY

does not differ much from shinny. In this game the ball is called a hockey, and it does not matter what you call the curved sticks.

The goals are selected, and the sides chosen as in shinny, but in this game the captains toss up for first strike. When the ball is struck, the opposite side tries to stop it, and the contest is on.

When the ball is sent over the opponent's goal line, the game is won.