Bomb-Laying

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15.  BOMB-LAYING. 

An excellent game for the country is " Bomb-Laying. " It is most exciting if the cover is good or if the light is just failing.  

The troop divides into two parties, each commanded by a Patrol-leader. 

Each Scout, with the exception of the Leader, is provided with a small stick about seven or eight inches long, and sharpened to a point at one end. 

These sticks may be cut from trees or bushes (if permission is first obtained and no damage is done), or, failing these, the pieces of wood in an ordinary bundle of firewood will do very well. 

Each Scout wears his " life," i.e. scarf, tie, or piece of tape, in the back of his belt as a tail, so that it can easily be pulled out. 

The Scoutmaster then defines an area which provides good cover, and the two parties select a "camp" which they think can be best defended. The center of each camp is marked by a patrol flag mounted on a staff. If the game is played in the dark, then the camps must be marked with a lamp. 

The camps are an area within a twenty-five yards' radius of each flag or lamp. The object of each party is to place their "bombs,"  represented by the sticks, within the other party's camp.  When a Scout has planted his "bomb" in the opponent's camp, he must take the scarf or tie out of his belt and tie it round the stick. A " bomb " is not planted until this is done.

A Scout is "killed" when an opponent snatches his "life" from his belt, and when "dead" he can take no further part in the game, but must make his way quickly to a definite piece of neutral ground agreed upon before beginning the game. 

When the cover is good it Is often possible to "kill" a Scout without his noticing it, and when after carefully planting the "bomb" the owner discovers he is "dead," his feelings are better imagined than described. 

Each party works under the command of its leader, who directs the attack. Thus it may prove better to attempt to lay only a few bombs and use the rest of the party for defense. The leader must remain in his camp area, and is not allowed to "kill" any of the opposite side. He may climb a tree or, direct operations from any position within his camp. 

Scouts who have successfully planted their bombs must make their way straight back to their leader and inform him, after which they may take part in the defense of their own camp--being provided with another "life." 

No Scout is allowed to lay more than one bomb. 

If a Scout who has laid his bomb is caught on the return  journey, he can be taken back to the captor's camp and made to remove his bomb, and then "killed." 

At the end of an arranged period of time the Scoutmaster sounds a bugle or whistle for operations to cease, and the side which has laid the greatest number of bombs wins the game. 

A very large troop may be split up into more than two parties and a general "international warfare" indulged in.