In the finger lakes of New York state (Geneva), here is how we played the game: All the kids sat on our on front porch, and one person "the dad" stood at the foot of the porch and said: "I'm going to town to smoke my pipe and I won't be pack til saturday niht. Poof, Poof."    Then "he" would go the a maple tree (notthe biggest tree, and "pretend" call the kids: "I need some old rags." Kid: I used them all on my shows last night." Dad: "Well, I'll be home." The dad comes back to the kids on the porch and looks at their hands and says "dirty, dirty, dirty, go down to the well and wash". The kids run to a tree on the other side of the yard where they get cake or pie names (I don't remember if there if they pick them or there is someone there.) When ?the dad? the witch? guesses the cake or pie name, they run back to the porch and try not to get caught. We played this game endlessly. I always wondered where it came from. Thanks!