what a number you have also of the common stone marbles.'

"Yes,' said Tom, 'I have. My father brought me them all yesterday. I should like now to learn one of the games at marbles.'

'Well,' answered Jack, you can easily do that, if you like. I am just going to join in a game with some of the boys, who promised to be in the playground half an hour before school-time. Come with me, and either stand by and watch us play, or else be one of the players.'

'Oh, that's capital!' exclaimed Tom, delighted with the proposal. I should like to learn the game by playing at it. I think I shall remember the rules better in that way than if I were simply to look on. Don't you think so, too?'

'Yes,' replied Jack, I am sure that is the best plan to follow in learning any game. You know we are very careful to stick to the rules of the games we play at. But here we are at the playground. See, there are Jim Smith, and Alfred Williams, and Sam Clarke, and two or three more, all ready to commence a game at ring-taw, which is a very great favourite with most boys, and it deserves to be so too.' Then going up to the rest he said, 'Boys, here's Tom Jones has had lots of marbles given him, and he wants to learn one of the games by joining us. What say you?'

All the players agreed that he was to begin at

once.

'But,' said Sam Clarke, slily, 'he must not expect to win our marbles just yet.'

'I will do my best,' said Tom, 'to play correctly if Jack will tell me the rules of the game as we go on. Will you do so, Jack?'

'Of course I will,' answered Jack. You see that upon the ground two circles are drawn, one within the other, the inner circle being eight or nine inches, and the outer six or seven feet across. Each player must put two marbles into the small circle, and the whole number are arranged round the ring. Now, then, we are going to draw lots who is to begin the game.'

'Well, I declare,' exclaimed Jim Smith, laughing, 'I have drawn number one.'

Now, Tom,' said Jack, 'you must watch Jim Smith. You see that from any part of the outer ring he knuckles down and shoots with his taw (that being the name of the marble with which the shot is made) at the marbles in the small ring. There! he has knocked out two of them. These he picks up and puts into his pocket as his own; and he then continues to play from the spot where his taw rests. Every marble he manages to knock out in this way becomes his property; and as he is a very good marksman, I have often seen him clear the whole lot and carry them off in triumph before any of the other players had had a shot.'

'But he has missed the marbles this time,' said Tom, who had been eagerly watching Jim's proceedings. What will he do now ?'

"Why,' replied Jack, he will let his taw remain where it has stopped; and as you have to play

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second, it is your turn. You must begin exactly as you saw Jim do.'

Tom did so, and managed to drive a marble out of the ring.

'Well done,' exclaimed Jack; 'that's not so bad for a beginner. Your taw has rolled close to Jim's. You had better therefore shoot at his, and if you can only succeed in striking it, he will have to give you all the marbles he has previously knocked out of the ring. Besides, he will then be "out," that is, he cannot play any more during this game. Now try your best Tom.'

But Tom was not skilful enough; he tried and missed. Better luck next time,' he thought to himself. 'Now it's my turn to play,' said Jack.

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Capital,' exclaimed Tom, 'you have knocked out two more.'

THE GAME AT MARBLES.

(Continued.)

Thus the game went on, each player taking his turn until at length all the marbles except one were knocked out of the ring. Jim Smith, who had gained no less than seven out of the lot, was taking aim at this last marble. He fired, and his taw struck it. Away it rolled, but Jim's remained in the ring exactly in the spot from where the other had gone.

On this, Jack exclaimed, Ah! ah! ah! Mr. Jim, you are not so lucky this time.'

'Why,' said Tom, with surprise, 'he is putting back into the ring all the marbles he has gained during the game!'

Jack replied, 'Such is the general rule, when any one's taw remains in the small ring, and Jim is out. But where I lived last, whenever a player's taw remained in the ring, he was required to put in a certain number of marbles, and he might play again, when his turn came round, from the outer circle. We also had a different rule when a player's taw was hit-namely, that he had simply to pay two or three marbles, as agreed upon, to the striker.'

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And really I think,' said Tom, your plan was the best; for the game could then be continued without losing any of the players.'

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'Just so,' returned Jack. But I see that Alfred Williams has just sent the last marble out. hope, Tom, you have enjoyed the game.'

'I have indeed; and I think I know the rules of 'ring-taw' pretty well. But I can't manage to shoot my taw like you or Jim Smith, although I tried to do so. I did it as I saw one or two of the other boys do, by putting the marble against the middle joint of the first finger, and pushing it out with my thumb.'

You must not do so,' said Jack, or you will never be reckoned a good player. The correct way is, to hold the marble between the point or tip of the forefinger and the knuckle of the thumb, the first joint of the latter being at the same time

grasped tightly by the second finger. The marble should then be shot by suddenly letting the thumb go. When you can do this steadily and skilfully, you will be able to aim very correctly, and shoot your taw with great force.'

'And what other games of marbles are there, which you can play at? I hope you will teach me them all in good time: you explain everything so clearly.'

'Well,' replied Jack, 'I don't consider I am boasting when I say that I know most of the games played with marbles. In my sports I always endeavour to follow my father's advice and learn them thoroughly. He constantly impresses upon me that "what is worth doing at all, is worth doing well.",

'Just what my father often says to me,' returned Tom. 'But I'm not so old as you, Jack, by two years. However, I'll do my best to learn all you

teach me.'

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"There are many good games with marbles,' continued Jack. One, in many respects resembling ring-taw, but with somewhat different rules, is called "Increase-Pound." Then there are "Lag-out,"

Snops and Spans," "Bonce About" (played with very large marbles called bonces), "Three Holes," "Pyramid," and the "Archway (sometimes termed "Bridge Board," or "Nine Holes ")."

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'What a number of games,' exclaimed Tom; ‘I hope I shall soon know most of them.'

'You must do with these games as we do in our