two or three yards between them. One party, still holding hands, advances towards the other, singing the while:
“Here we come gathering nuts to-day—
Nuts to-day—nuts to-day;
Here we come gathering nuts to-day,
So early in the morning.”
On its retirement, the other line advances and retires in the same way, singing :
“Pray, whose nuts will you gather away—
Gather away—gather away?
Pray, whose nuts will you gather away,
So early in the morning?”
Before the first line advances again, an understanding has to be arrived at as to whose nuts are to be asked for from the opposite party, when it again approaches and retires, singing:
“We’ll gather Miss A———’s nuts away—
Nuts away—nuts away;
We’ll gather Miss A———’s nuts away,
So early in the morning.”
To this the other party, again advancing and retiring as before, replies:
“Pray, who will you send to take them away—
To take them away—take them away?
Pray, who will you send to take them away,
So early in the morning?”
Again a consultation must be held in the ranks of the first party as to which of their number is considered fairly equal in strength to endeavour to draw or pull over Miss A———, and when one has been decided upon they once more advance, singing:
“We’ll send Miss B——— to take them away—
To take them away—take them away;
We’ll send Miss B——— to take them away,
So early in the morning.”
Thereupon A. and B., the two children before named, now advance, and clasping each other by the right hand, each endeavours to pull or draw her opponent over to her own side, a boundary line having
