is."

PRISONER'S BASE--III

_6 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

[Illustration Diagram: PRISONER'S BASE--III]

The ground is divided according to the accompanying diagram; the
players, who are divided into two equal parties, with a captain for
each party, being stationed respectively in the goals marked _A_ and
_B_, which are at the same end of the ground instead of at opposite
ends, as in Prisoners' Base II. In the present form of the game, the
prison belonging to each side is located directly opposite its own
home goal at the farther end of the ground, instead of near its own
goal, as in II. Rescue of a prisoner is by entry of the opponent's
prison, not by tagging the prisoners; so there is no object in the
prisoner's reaching out of the prison, as in the previous forms of the
game.

The two parties decide by counting out, holders, drawing lots, or some
other form of choice, which shall commence. One member of this side
then runs out to the middle of the ground and gives a "nominy," or
"dare," calling, "Chevy, chevy, chase! One, two, three!" As soon as he
has called this (but not before), he is liable to be tagged by the
opponents, who try to catch him before he can run home again. Should
he reach home in safety, the opponents take their turn in sending a
man to the middle to give a "dare" in the same way. A player need not
run home, however, but may remain at large, another player from his
side running out to cover or protect him by trying to tag the
opponent. Several players from each team may be out in this way at one
time. A player may be caught by any man who left his home goal after
he did, but by none who left before him. Each player must therefore
keep a sharp watch on his opponents to know which of them may tag him
and which he may tag. This is continued until a prisoner is caught,
when he is taken by his captor to the prison belonging to the side
capturing him. A captor may not be tagged while taking a prisoner to
prison, and is allowed to go back to his goal afterward without
tagging. If a player can reach the opponents' prison without being
tagged by an opponent, he releases the first prisoner taken there.
Both may return home without being tagged. The object of the game is
to place all of the players of the opponents' side in prison, and
when that is accomplished, to take possession of the opponent's home
goal. When this is done, the two parties change sides and begin again,