terrific force
against the wall of the court. Pelota is a hard, fast game, and
sometimes serious injuries result from playing it.

PLUG IN THE RING

This is the universal game that boys play with tops. A ring six feet
in diameter is described on the ground and each player puts a top
called a "bait" in the centre. The baits are usually tops of little
value. The "plugger," however, is the top used to shoot with and as a
rule is the boy's choicest one. As soon as the players can wind their
tops they stand with their toes on the line and endeavour to strike
one of the baits in such a way as to knock it out of the circle and
still leave their own tops within the circle and spinning. If they
miss, the top must be left spinning until it "dies." If it fails to
roll out of the ring, the owner must place another bait top in the
ring, but if it leaves the circle he may continue shooting. It is
possible to play tops for "keeps," but, like marbles for "keeps," it
should be discouraged, as it is gambling.

POLO OR EQUESTRIAN POLO

A game played on horseback, which originated in Eastern countries and
was first played by the English in India. It has been introduced both
into England and America. Polo is a rich man's game and requires a
great deal of skill in horsemanship as well as nerve. A polo team
consists of four men, each of whom must have a stable of several
horses. These horses, or "polo ponies," are trained carefully, and a
well-trained pony is as essential to good playing as a skilful rider.

The game is played with a mallet, the head of which is usually ash,
dogwood, or persimmon, and has a handle about 50 inches long. The ball
is either willow or basswood. The principle of the game is similar to
nearly all of the outdoor games played with a ball: that of driving it
into the opponents' goal, meanwhile preventing them from making a
score on one's own goal.

POTATO RACE

In this game as many rows of potatoes are laid as there are players.
They should be placed about five feet apart. The race consists in
picking up all of the potatoes, one at a time, and carrying them to
the starting point, making a separate trip for each potato. At the end
of the line there should be a basket or butter tub to drop them into.
The game is sometimes made more difficult by forcing the contestants
to carry the potatoes on a teaspoon.

PRISONER'S BASE

Two captains select sides. They then mark out on the ground two bases,
or home