56 SUGAR 



thing that comes to hand can be converted into a 

 medium of fun and frolic. 



The outstanding feature of this playground is an 

 obstacle-race, which is run almost ceaselessly through- 

 out the livelong day. There are four goals, the respec- 

 tive hatches at which the sugar-bags are being hoisted 

 aboard the steamer. The competitors can only 

 traverse the narrow gangways through the warehouse 

 in single file. But directly a boy reaches the open 

 platform, he deftly switches his truck to the left or to 

 the right, according to the position of the hatch whither 

 he is bound ; then he begins to run as hard as he can 

 to catch up with the boy a few feet ahead. A second 

 later, he is followed by another boy, who chases him, 

 and so on with the whole of the gang who load up in 

 that particular gangway. And to add to the bustle 

 and excitement, there are boys emerging in quick 

 procession from several gangways at one time. 



The competitors themselves create the obstacles 

 which block the track. Most of the impedimenta con- 

 sist of overturned trucks and scattered sugar-bags, 

 which are strewn about the course as the result of 

 numerous accidental or deliberately planned collisions. 

 The boys going towards the hatches, and those return- 

 ing therefrom, are not bound to keep to opposite sides 

 of the course ; everyone is free to dodge in and out, 

 and round about, just as the fancy takes him. And 

 any tactics are fair play in this obstacle-race game. 

 So the youngsters who are slowly trundling empty 

 trucks to the warehouse, where they will eventually 

 get another load and join in another heat for the 

 hatches, do not attempt to make for an out-of-the-way 

 corner when they want to rest and recover breath ; 



