of big boys and young
men who mean to play; these are carefully blinded and turned loose
into the ring, and then a man is introduced not blind-folded, with a
bell hung round his neck, and his two hands tied behind him. Of
course, every time he moves, the bell must ring, as he has no hand to
hold it, and so the dozen blind-folded men have to catch him. This
they cannot always manage if he is a lively fellow, but half of them
always rush into the arms of the other half, or drive their heads
together, or tumble over; and then the crowd laughs vehemently, and
invents nicknames for them on the spur of the moment, and they, if
they be choleric, tear off the handkerchiefs which blind them, and not
unfrequently pitch into one another, each thinking that the other must
have run against him on purpose. It is great fun to look at a jingling
match certainly, and Tom shouts and jumps on old Benjy's shoulders at
the sight, until the old man feels weary, and shifts him to the strong
young shoulders of the groom, who has just got down to the fun.

[47] #Tuppence#: two pence or four cents; the English penny,
being equal to two cents.

[48] #Quaint#: odd, old-fashioned.

And now, while they are climbing the pole in another part of the
field, and muzzling in a flour-tub[49] in another, the old farmer
whose house, as has been said, overlooks the field, and who is master
of the revels, gets up the steps on to the stage, and announces to all
whom it may concern that a half-sovereign[50] in money will be
forthcoming for the old gamester who breaks most heads; to which the
squire and he have added a new hat.

[49] #Muzzling in a flour-tub#: running their heads into a tub
of flour to fish out prizes.

[50] #Half-sovereign#: ten shillings ($2.50).

The amount of the prize is sufficient to stimulate the men of the
immediate neighborhood, but not enough to bring any very high talent
from a distance; so, after a glance or two round, a tall fellow, who
is a down shepherd,[51] chucks his hat on to the stage and climbs up
the steps, looking rather sheepish. The crowd, of course, first cheer,
then chaff[52] as usual, as he picks up his hat and begins handling
the sticks to see which will suit him.

[51] #Down shepherd#: a shepherd on the downs or chalk hills.

[52] #Chaff#: make fun, ridicule.

THE BACK-SWORDING.

"Wooy,[53] Willum Smith, thee canst plaay wi' he[54] arra[55] daay,"
says his companion to t