IN THE TRAIN Or DURING A WAIT AT A RAILWAY STATION

Hoop Posting
A very good hoop game for several players is "Posting." The idea is that a distance is to be covered (as in the old posting days) as quickly as possible by relays of riders, and the first thing to do is to station ...

The Value Of A Map
A map of the country which the train passes through is an interesting thing to have on a long journey. It tells you the names of the hills and villages you see from the windows and you can very likely fix the exact...

Railway Competitions
Two persons can have good competitions. They can agree beforehand that the game is to go to whichever of them sees the more horses, or cows, or sheep, or men driving, or bicyclists, or rabbits, between two given po...

Railway Whist
This is a kind of "Roadside Whist," the rules for which will be found on page 163. As has been said there, most players will prefer to draw up their own scoring table; but the following things and figures may be fo...

Station Observation
A variety of "Observation" (see page 104) can be played on journeys. While the train is stopping at a station every one looks out of the window and notices as many things as possible. When the train starts again ea...

Games With A Watch
If you have a watch it is rather interesting to guess the exact time at which the train will reach the next station. The one who guesses nearest becomes the holder of the watch until the next guess is decided. Othe...

Hot-hand
This is a primitive game, capital for cold weather, for it is well named. It is played by two people, one of whom spreads out his hands flat, palms up. The other puts his, palms down, within about three inches of t...

Pencils And Paper
It is well to take a pencil and paper when you go on a long journey. If the train rocks a good deal it is interesting to see which can write a sentence most clearly. There is a way of balancing oneself on the edge ...

Noughts And Crosses Or Tit-tat-toe
"Noughts and Crosses" is playable anywhere; all that is needed is a piece of paper--a newspaper will do--and a pencil. The framework is first made. Thus:-- -----+-----+...

Paper French And English
"French and English," another game for two, belongs to the family of "Noughts and Crosses," and can be played anywhere and on any scrap of paper. You first decide which will be English and which French. Each player...

Letters And Words
A box of letters is an unfailing help to pass the time. A word will sometimes keep a player puzzling for hours, which is, of course, too long. "Pomegranate," "Orchestra," and "Scythe" are good examples of difficult...

Letters With A Pencil
The word-making game has been adapted into a writing competition. Each of the company is handed a card which has been prepared for the purpose beforehand by having names of a dozen animals, or towns, or flowers, or...

Hanging
This is a more difficult game, very suitable for a tiring journey. The two players sit side by side, and one of them dots out on a piece of paper the words of a proverb or well-known line of poetry. Thus, "I met a ...

Other Games
Many games usually kept for the house can be played in the train. "Old Maid" (see p. 79) is a good train game; so is "Buz" (see p. 167). A "Fox and Geese" board, or a draughtboard, will help to pass the time. ...

Food
Food is a great help toward shortening a long journey. A little picnic every hour, if it is permitted, is something not too distant to look forward to, and it may take up ten minutes each time. A larger meal all at...