When the performer pushes his head forward the boy gets into this position:—
The cloth is then thrown over all, the boy and the basket, and while the lid is being placed on top, and the altercation continues, the boy gets into this position, holding the basket lid up with one hand.
The lid of the basket being held up like this causes the audience to think that his former position is unaltered.
If one were to take away the cloth and look inside the basket one would see the boy lying something like this.
The performer takes away the lid which the boy has allowed to sink into its proper place after the terrible blow with the big stick, and to show the emptiness of the basket, puts his feet into the basket, between the body and bent up legs of the boy, and sits down on top of the assistant. By doing so he pushes the cloth down close on to the boy.