A piece of kindling wood is held in the fire until it is well lighted. It is then passed from one player to the other, each one saying in turn, "Jack's alive." The instant the stick ceases to burn "Jack" is "dead" and the one who is then holding it has to pay a forfeit.

It is passed very quickly from one to the other, as each player wishes to get rid of it before the spark goes out.

For a forfeit, the man who was holding it will have to undergo the process of having a black mustache made with the charred end of the stick.