GAMES. 229 



* 



CAT-TRAP, BAT, AND BALL. 



With the form of the trap our readers are, doubtless, 

 acquainted ; it will only be necessary for us to give the 

 laws of the game. Two boundaries are equally placed at 

 some distance from the trap, between which it is necessary 

 for the ball to pass when struck by the batsman ; if it fall 

 outside either of them he loses his innings. Innings are 

 drawn for, and the player who wins places the ball in the 

 spoon of the trap, touches the trigger with the bat, and, as 

 the ball ascends from the trap, strikes it as far as he can. 

 One of the other players (who may be from two to half-a- 

 dozen) endeavours to catch it. If he do so before it reaches 

 the ground, or hops more than once, or if the striker miss 

 the ball when he aims at it, or hits the trigger more than 

 once without striking the ball, he loses his innings, and the 

 next in order, which must previously be agreed on, takes 

 his place. Should the ball be fairly struck, and not caught, 

 as we have stated, the out-player, into whose hand it comes, 

 bowls it from the place where he picks it up, at the trap, 

 which if he hit, the striker is out ; if he miss it the striker 

 counts one towards the game, which may be any number 

 decided on. There is also a practice in some places, when 

 the bowler has sent in the ball, of the striker's guessing the 

 number of bats' lengths it is from the trap ; if he guess 

 within the real number he reckons that number toward his 

 game, but if he guess more than there really are he loses 

 his innings. It is not necessary to make the game in one 

 innings. 



PUSS IN THE CORNER.* 



This is a very simple, but, at the same time, a very lively 

 and amusing game. It is played by five only ; and the 

 place chosen for the sport should be a square court or yard 

 with four corners, or any place where there are four trees or 

 posts, about equidistant from each other, and forming the 

 four points of a square. Each of these points or corners is 



* The Boy's Own Book, 



