noon
The one who missed took up his hat and left the play , and the boy who picked up the ball proceeded to drop it into a hat , and the game went on until all but one were put out . Hat-ball is so simple that any number can play at it , and Jack 's friends found it so full of boisterous fun , that every new-comer wished to set down his hat . And thus , by the time Pewee and Riley arrived , half the larger boys in the school were in the game , and there were not enough left to make a good game of bull-pen . At noon , the new game drew the attention of the boys again , and Riley and Pewee tried in vain to coax them away . `` Oh , I say , come on , fellows ! '' Riley would say . `` Come -- let 's play something worth playing . ''