For the first article in the triplet the performer merely gives the cue to the number; to the second he adds here, and to the third that.

To work in with these he has also a numbered alphabet, both letters and figures being represented by certain words as below:—

ComerepresentsAand1
Look„B„2
Hurry up, or Tell me„C„3
Make haste, or Tell us„D„4
Well„E„5
Please„F„6
Say„G„7
Answer, Call, or Called„H„8
Now„I„9
Let me know„J„10
Can you see„K„11
Try„L„12
Right away„M„13
Do you know„N„14
Go on„O„15
Let us hear„P„16
At once„Q„17
See„R„18
Look sharp„S„19
Let us know„T„20
Quick„U„21
Will you look„V„22
Do you see„W„23
Be smart„X„24
I’d like to know„Y„25
What is it„Z„26
There„ 0
I want to know„ 100

This code ‘Ex-conjurer’ illustrates. ‘Do you see (W) what is this? Come (A), Let us know? (T), Hurry up (C), Answer (H).’ Surely this seems much too roundabout a way of getting at such an ordinary article as a watch! Nor does that of triplets offer great advantages, besides which the words or phrases chosen to represent letters and numbers come in awkwardly—and even offensively to an English ear—as will be apparent in the following extracts:—

‘Suppose a glove is offered. This is the first article of the fortieth triplet. The question would be “Tell us (4) what this is, there (0).”

‘Should the second article in the fifteenth triplet be offered, the question would be either, “Here, what’s this? Go on (15);” or, “Come (1), what’s this here? Well (5)?” and the answer in either case a button-hook.’

The best thing about ‘Ex-conjurer’s’ paper is the suggestive ‘tag,’ or speech at the end of the performance. Our aspirants for ‘clairvoyant’ fame may be able to take a hint from it:—

‘Now, how is this done? Well, I don’t mind telling you, with the express understanding that it goes no farther. It is neither mesmerism, spiritism, ventriloquism, rheumatism nor any other ism. It is brought about by the action of arcane-dynamics, subjectively submitted to the action of the passive agent, and the result, as you have seen, is a stentonophonic reproduction of the original idea. I’m afraid it’s not yet quite clear to some of you. Well, then, in other words, it’s a system of mental telephony. When an article is offered to me, I seize it; and then my assistant, he sees it. Ah! you smile—you understand it; but, remember, not a word outside as to how it is done!’