Followings

Search  Inquiry Net

[ Back ] [ Home ] [ Up ] [ Next ]

Bull Ring
Duck in a Hole
Fat
Followings
Block
Knucks
Long Ring
Meg-in-a-Hole
Patterson
Stand Up

Scout Books

Site Contents

By Dan Beard

"Follerings," or Followings, is a traveling game, generally played by the boys on their way to school, or often, I am afraid, when they are sent on errands by their mothers. Although this game is a traveling game it is unnecessary to say that it does not lend haste to the traveler. In fact, it must be acknowledged that more speed can be made by a boy on an errand if he omits to play the game on his way.

The rules of "Follering" are simple. "First" shoots his marble in the direction he wants to travel, and "Second" shoots his marble at the "First's" taw. Thus they shoot each in turn until one boy is lucky enough to hit his opponent's taw. That means a duck for the fortunate one or else a point in the game and another shot at his opponent's marble. He continues to shoot until he misses, and so the game goes on.

"Everything," and "Fen everything!" are the cries in this game. If one player before he shoots cries "Every thing" before his opponent can cry "Fen everything," then the shooter may "hist," that is, as already explained, hold his marble up and shoot, or he may remove a brick, can, old shoe, or whatever object accident may place between him and his opponent's marble, or be may take "roundsters," going one side or the other of any object that may be in the way. But he cannot go any nearer the other boy's marble than his first position. If, however, the other player cries "Fen everything!" first, the shooter must knuckle down and make the best of it.

The Art of Babying

If one player hits his opponent's taw and knocks it into a gully, a hole, or the gutter and his own taw does not fly far away, he shouts "Everything!" if possible before the other player can say "Fen," and then he commences a series of soft, easy shots, each of which counts just the same as a long, difficult one. With care a good shot can baby away until his opponent shouts himself hoarse with cries of "Fen babying! Fen everything ! Fen histing ! Fen roundsters! Knuckle down." To all these cries the player pays no attention, but continues to shoot until he carelessly makes a miss. Then the other player has his revenge and babies away, to the great discomfort of his opponent.

Follerings starts where the two lads meet and lasts until the school-house or some other objective point is reached. It can be played almost anywhere, and is quite exciting enough to meet the approval of most boys.