Useful for Evenings in the Club or in Camp

Non-Scouting Games.

Nobody's Airship.—Two patrols sit on two forms facing each other, knees about a foot from those of opposite side. A small air-balloon is thrown in, both sides pat it with their hands to keep it up in the air and try to send it far over the heads of their opponents. If it falls to the ground behind one party that party loses a point. The game is best of five points.

"Artists."—Players sit round a table, each with paper and pencil.

The right-hand one draws a picture, in separate firm strokes, of an ordinary figure or head—putting in his strokes in unusual sequence so that for a long time it is difficult to see what he is drawing. Each player looks over to see what the man on his right is drawing and copies it stroke by stroke. When the right-hand artist has finished his picture, compare all the rest with it.

"Target Ball."—Indoor cricket with a lawn tennis ball, small wooden bat, and a disc or small target for wicket.

"Circle Ball."—A large circle of players throw lawn tennis ball at one in the centre.

The object of the player in the centre is to remain "in" as long as possible without being hit; if he catches the ball in his hands it does not count as a hit.

Whoever hits him with the ball takes his place.

The player who remains "in" longest wins.

Counting the Words.—Let someone read out half a page from a book, pronouncing the words with moderate rapidity. As he reads, let the members of the company try to count his words. The persons who comes the nearest to the truth in his estimate is judged the victor. It is astonishing how widely these estimates vary.

Animated Portraits.—Over a door drape a curtain, in the centre of which is hung a frame through which can be thrust the heads of various persons chosen from those present. These heads are to be attired in such a fashion as to represent various well-known characters, such as Christopher Columbus, Queen Victoria, etc. The audience are to be informed that they are at liberty to make frank criticisms on these animated pictures for the purpose of causing a smile. In case the audience is successful in identifying within a certain time, the person who represents the picture must pay a fine.

To Fit.—Cut a square opening in a pasteboard, which is placed prominently in front of the room. Distribute to the members corks of different sizes. Provide with sharp knives those that are not already provided. Explain that the task before them is to cut the corks so that they will fit the square opening, without measuring the opening, judging entirely by the eye. The one whose cork fits the best wins.

City Chains.—Place the players in two groups facing each other. Each group must choose a leader, with whom the members of his side communicate in whispers. In the centre is an umpire, who, with his watch, gives each side a quarter of a minute, or less, for their response.

The leader of one side begins by naming a city, such as New York. Within the prescribed time the leader of the opposite side must name a city beginning with the last letter of New York, as Kalamazoo; and so it proceeds, each leader using the wits of all in his group to assist his own.

When a leader fails to respond in time, the opposite leader chooses one player from his opponent's side, and in his turn starts a new chain. The game can be played also with the names of famous persons, but this is harder.

A Memory Game.—In order to play this game successfully, it is necessary that the list of words and sentences given below be in the memory of one of the players, who acts as leader. This leader, turning to his next neighbour remarks, "One old owl." He turns to his neighbour, and gives the same formula. So it passes around the circle till it comes to the leader again, who repeats it, and adds the formula, "Two tantalising tame toads."

So again it goes around, and again, and each time the leader adds a new formula, until the whole is repeated, up to ten. It is safe to say, however, that no society will ever get that far. All who forget part of the formula are dropped from the circle. Here is the whole:

One old owl.

Two tantalising tame toads.

Three tremulous, tremendous, terrible tadpoles.

Four fat, fussy, frivolous, fantastic fellows.

Five flaming, flapping, flamingoes fishing for frogs.

Six silver-tongued, saturnine senators standing stentoriously shouting, "So-so."

Seven serene seraphs soaring swiftly sunward, singing, "Say, sisters."

Eight elderly, energetic, effusive, erudite, enterprising editors eagerly eating elderberries.

Nine nice, neat, notable, neighbourly, nautical, nodding nabobs nearing northern Normandy.

Ten tall, tattered, tearful, turbulent tramps, talking tumultuously through tin trumpets.

Post.—This game may be played in a large hall, or out of doors on the lawn. It is especially adapted to the juniors, and may be so played as to teach them a great deal of geography. The leader either marks with chalk, or indicates with his fingers, the outlines of some mission country. Let it be India, for example. A rough triangle is fixed, and the places of the prominent mission stations are indicated by marks, sticks, stones, bushes, or trees, and at each of these places one of the players is stationed. One player might stand at Calcutta, one at Bombay, one at Madras, one at Madura, one at Delhi, etc.

The leader then takes upon himself the name of some prominent missionary of India—say Bishop Thoburn; then, declaring that Bishop Thoburn wants to go from Calcutta to Madras, he attempts to reach one of those stations while the two occupants thereof are rapidly changing places. If he succeed in doing this, the player left out has to take his place as Bishop Thoburn, and in this way the game proceeds.

Number Groups.—Give each person present a number, printed in large type on a card which is pinned conspicuously on the breast. The numbers range from 10 to 24, and so of course there will be many duplicates. There is a leader, who begins the game by calling in a loud voice some number, such as 180. Immediately the players as rapidly as possible arrange themselves in groups, seeking to form a group the sum of whose numbers will equal 180. As soon as a group has been thus formed it presents itself to the leader, and to each member of this successful group is given a slip of paper.

As soon as one group has thus formed 180 and been rewarded, the half-formed groups are dissolved, since they do not count anything, and the leader calls out a new number. After this has been tried a certain number of times, the person that has received the largest number of slips is adjudged the winner. If you want to make this game very difficult, use higher numbers, and attach them to the backs instead of the fronts, of the members.

Their Weight.—This contest will make pleasant material to fill some interval in your socials. Let the committee previously gather six articles, as dissimilar as may be in size, shape, and material, but each weighing a pound. You may take, for instance, a wooden pail, a tin pan, a piece of lead. Call out different members of the company, and request them to arrange these six articles in the order of their weight. Of course, almost every one will think the large article to be the heaviest.