.

=Wood Tennis=

Wood tennis is of the woods, woodsy. Green pine-cones take the place of
balls; hands, of rackets; and branches, of tennis-net. Lay out a regular
tennis-court by scraping the lines in the earth, or outlining the
boundaries with sticks or other convenient materials. Build a net of
branches by sticking the ends in the ground, and collect a number of
smooth, green cones for balls.

Wood tennis must, of necessity, differ somewhat from the regulation
game. Since pine-cones will not bounce and there are no rackets for
striking them, they must be tossed across the net, caught in the hands,
and quickly tossed back. In other respects the rules of the established
game may be used entire or simplified if desired.

[Illustration: WHEN DARKNESS CLOSES IN]

=Around the Camp-Fire=

When darkness creeps through the woods, closing in closer and closer;
when it blots out, one by one, the familiar landmarks and isolates the
little camp in a sea of night, with the mutual wish for nearer
companionship, we gather around the camp-fire, the one light in all the
great darkness. We are grateful for its warmth, as the evenings are
chill, and its cheery blaze and crackle bring a feeling of hominess
and comfort welcome to every one. If there are men in the party they
light their pipes and then begin the stories of past experiences on the
trail, which are of the keenest interest to all campers. These stories,
told while one gazes dreamily into the glowing coals of the fire or
looks beyond the light into the mysterious blackness of the forest, have
a charm that is wanting under different surroundings. The stories are
not confined to the men, for in these days when girls and women are also
on the trail, they too can relate things worth the telling.

=Songs=

Then come the songs. If there is some one in the party who can lead in
singing, she can use a familiar air with a rousing chorus as a frame
upon which to hang impromptu verses, made up of personalities and local
hits. This is always fun and you are surprised how quickly doggerel
rhymes suggest themselves when your turn comes to furnish a verse to the
song.

The leader begins something like this, using, perhaps, the air and
refrain of an old chantey or college song.

_Leader_
"I spotted a beaver,
But he wasn't very nye."

_Chorus_
"Don't you rock so hard!"

_Second Soloist_