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The Game of Croquet

To play the game of Croquet, a certain number of hoops and pegs are set up on the lawn. Each player takes a mallet and one or more balls. The players are divided into two sides and play in rotation, each one being followed by one on the opposite side. The player, when his turn comes round, strikes his ball once. If he make a point, he strikes it again; if his ball hit or "roquet" another, he places it in contact with the latter, and strikes his own ball so as to move them both--this is called "taking croquet." He can strike his own ball again after taking croquet. The object of the game is to make all the points (the hoops and pegs) in proper order, and that side wins which first does so with all its balls. Thus it is not only the object of each side to make the points itself, but also to prevent the opposite side progressing. The game may be played with six or eight balls, by a like number of players, but this number makes the game much too long, and we recommend that only four balls be used, either with four players, or with two players each of whom takes two balls. The latter is the most general in public matches, and affords by far the best game. If more than four players want to play, it is better to make two sets of four, one beginning at each end, than to make one game of eight.