"He had tied it on to one ankle, instead of around his neck. It made his ankle float, but his head went under, and he couldn't swim. I rescued him, but I had to jump in after him and pull him out. It was hard work because he kept trying to hit me all the time. Then, after I'd got him out, I had to lick him before he would let me go on and do my stunt." "I hardly think that was according to Scout law," said Mr. Norton, when the rest of us had finished laughing and pounding Hank on the back. "I rescued somebody, just the same. Only it wasn't a maiden." "We still have a few minutes," said Mr. Norton. "Suppose that we play a new game which I have here. It is a kind of invention of my own and is called baseball." "Seems as if I'd heard of that game somewhere," said Skinny, poking me in the ribs. "Not this one. This is parlor baseball and is brand new," replied the Scoutmaster. He brought out a chart, marked off in squares to represent different plays, and laid it flat on the floor, about six inches from the wall, at the end of the room. "Now," said he, "we'll choose sides, then stand off about ten feet and toss silver dollars at the squares. That is the same as going to bat. I mention silver dollars because I brought some with me. Any disk, or ring, about the same size and weight would do as well and might be more convenient. The square on which the disk rests gives the result of your play. If the disk rolls off the chart it counts as a strike, and three strikes are out. Usually the Scoutmaster or Scout leader acts as umpire, calls off each play as made and keeps the score. To-night, however, as William is not able to play, we will make him umpire and I will take part in the game to make even sides." HOME RUN STRIKE THREE BASE HIT FLY CATCH BATTER HIT OUT ON FIRST SINGLE BALL TWO BASE HIT FOUL PASS BALL BALK "Let me illustrate," he went on. "We will suppose that the first man up throws three disks and all of them roll off the chart. That counts as three strikes and he is out. The second player may throw a two-bagger or a single. He then returns to his seat and the third player, by throwing a three-bagger, brings the second man home and gains third base for himself. The runners are advanced each time as many bases as the batter makes. They also are advanced one base by a pass ball, a fly catch or an out-on-first. The first two fouls count as strikes, of course, and four balls entitle the batter to first base. The arrangement of these squares is important. The home run is guarded on three sides by strikes and in front by a fly catch. The three-base hit is as carefully guarded."