Untitled - Beeldbibliotheek

178 CARAVAN DAYSenter into the full joy of that damp, elastic targetwhere every shot falls with a soft " "plip intoits place, where the run-up and the reboundcannot help you and you must pin your faith tothe sheer precision of the flight.The game may be played at a figureof concentriccircles, at a shilling set on edge, into agolf hole or over interveningobstacles on to atable. Some carpets are good. It depends onthe nap. A billiard-table is excellent. Bareboards are a little exasperating :they lead to anexcess of hopping and rolling. The mark is asa rule surrounded by a circle enclosing what isknown as the Parish, with heavy penalties forsuch as fall outside. There are many local bylaws,each enshrining some little nicety orrefinement. And there is the Plute. This isestablished by negotiation before the game begins.It is a special feat, suited to the pitch, which ifperformed by either player instantly terminatesthe game in a sudden blaze of glory.The old system of tossing has been entirelyeliminated. The winner of every bout takes theheads and half the tails, an arrangement whichadds a nice point, as when you are lying well youmake bold to throw heads so as to accumulatea store of them. The faint-hearted, when in