y
scatter and hide.

The group in the den, as soon as they hear the call "Ready!" start out
for the chase, leaving one of their number to guard the den. Whenever
a player is caught (tagging is not enough; the player must be firmly
secured), the catcher calls "Caught! Caught! Caught!" and leads his
prisoner to the den. The object of the game is to make prisoners of
all of the hiding team. A prisoner may be freed from the den by one of
the players from his group running out from his hiding place and
tagging him. This may only be done, however, by the rescuer getting
both feet in the den. Should this be accomplished, the rescuer calls
"Ring-a-lievio!" as he dashes through the den, and both run for
safety. The den keeper tries to catch them as they run away, but may
not chase them beyond certain boundaries, which must be determined
beforehand. Only one prisoner may be freed at a time. Prisoners are
most easily freed when there are several in the den at once and the
den keeper's attention is distracted to one side of the den while the
prisoners are freed from the other.

This game, like all hiding games, is especially adapted to open
spaces, offering many hiding places, such as the edge of a
wood, a garden, park, or playground having considerable
shrubbery, or to a village street.

RINGMASTER

_10 to 60 players._

_Playground; gymnasium; parlor._

This may be made a very amusing game for young children. One is chosen
for ringmaster and stands in the center. If he can flourish a whip
like a true ringmaster in the circus, the interest of the game will be
enhanced. The other players form a circle around him without clasping
hands.

The ringmaster turns and moves around in a circle, snapping his whip
at each flourish, and calling the name of some animal. The players in
the circle immediately imitate the animal, both as to its movements
and cries. For instance, for a bear they claw or run on "all fours,"
or climb and at the same time growl; for a frog they may hop or swim
and croak. The list may include the hopping kangaroo, the snarling and
springing tiger, the humped and swaying camel, the balking and braying
donkey, the flopping and barking seal, the scratching and cackling
hen, the ponderous and mooing cow, the neighing and galloping horse,
etc.

The ringmaster at his discretion may announce, "We will all join the
circus parade!" whereupon all of the animals should gallop around the
circ