The Travelling Counters.—This is a very similar trick to that already described under the title of the “Multiplication of Money.” It is performed with twelve metal counters. The performer begins by counting the twelve counters on the table; then, taking up four of them, he hands them to a spectator to hold, and taking the remainder in his own hand, commands them to change places. On examination, his commands are found to be obeyed. The spectator has eight, while the performer has only four. The spectator is now requested to take charge of the eight, when the operator commands the four which he himself holds to rejoin them. This, also, is found to be accomplished. The operator now hands the twelve to a second spectator, requesting him to hold them tightly. After a moment’s interval, he is requested again to count them, but finds that he has grasped them too tightly, for they are now welded together into a solid mass. The performer again takes them, and by merely breathing on them, restores them to their original state.
The student, with the experience which he has by this time gained, will naturally conjecture that the trick is in reality performed with sixteen loose counters, and twelve soldered together; that the performer commenced the trick with four counters palmed in his right hand, which he secretly added to the four which he handed to the spectator; that, taking up the remaining eight, and apparently transferring them from his right hand to his left, he really transferred four only, leaving the remainder in the right hand; and that when he again handed the eight counters to the spectator, he added these last to them. That in apparently transferring the remaining four from hand to hand he palmed them, forthwith dropping them into one of his pochettes, and taking from the same place, or from under his waistband, the solid twelve, which he finally handed to the second spectator in place of the twelve loose counters; again substituting the loose ones, as before, when by breathing on them he professed to restore them to their primitive state.
As the student has so successfully guessed all this, it would be an impertinence on our part to further explain the trick.
The Wandering Sixpence.—Have ready two sixpences, each slightly waxed on one side. Borrow a sixpence, and secretly exchange it for one of the waxed ones, laying the latter, waxed side uppermost, on the table. Let any one draw two cards from any ordinary pack. Take them in the left hand, and, transferring them to the right, press the second waxed sixpence against the centre of the undermost, to which it will adhere. Lay this card (which we will call a) on the table, about eighteen inches from the sixpence which is already there, and cover that sixpence with the other card, b. Lift both cards a little way from the table, to show that the sixpence is under card a, and that there is apparently nothing under card b. As you replace them, press lightly on the centre of card a. You may now make the sixpence appear under whichever card you like, remembering that, if you wish the sixpence not to adhere, you must bend the card slightly upwards in taking it from the table; if otherwise, take it up without bending.
CHAPTER VIII.
Tricks with Coin requiring Special Apparatus.
The “Heads and Tails” Trick.—This is a pretty little trick, of an unpretending nature, but of very good effect, especially if introduced in a casual and apparently extempore manner. The performer borrows, or produces from his own pocket, four penny-pieces. Placing them upon the table, he requests some one to make a pile of them, all one way, say “tail” upwards. He next requests the same or another person to turn over the pile so made, without disturbing the relative position of the coins, and announces with an air of supernatural knowledge that they will now all be found “head” upwards. This appears so ridiculously obvious, that the audience naturally observe (with more or less straightforwardness of expression) that “any fool could tell that.” “Pardon me,” says the performer, “it is not quite such a simple matter as you think. I very much doubt whether any of you could do as much. I will place the coins again; watch me as closely as you please. I will place them as before—Tail, tail, tail, tail. Is that fairly done? Now I will turn them over.” He does so, letting the tips of his fingers rest upon them. “What are they now?” A general chorus replies, “All heads, of course!” But on examination it is found that only three are “heads,” and one a “tail.” Again he arranges them, placing them this time alternately—head, tail, head, tail. He turns them over. The natural order (beginning from below) would again be head, tail, head, tail; but they are found to be head, tail, tail, tail. Again he places them, tail, tail, tail, head. When turned over they should be tail, head, head, head, but are found to be tail, head, alternately.
The secret lies in the use of a prepared penny, consisting of similar halves (in the case above described two “tails”) soldered together, so as to be “tail” on either side. This the performer palms in his right hand. After first going through the operation with the genuine coins, as above, he picks them up with his left hand; and apparently transferring them to the right, really transfers three of them only. He then performs the trick with these and the prepared coin, when the apparently miraculous result above described becomes a matter of course.
It is best not to repeat the trick too often, and a little practice is necessary in order to be able to return the three genuine coins neatly to the left hand (in which the fourth borrowed coin must be retained throughout the trick), at the same time secretly retaining your own. It is a frequent occurrence for one or other of the company, imagining that the seeming wonder is, in some unexplained way, a result of some natural principle, to request to be allowed to try for himself. It is obvious that, under such circumstances, it would not do to hand him the prepared coin, and hence the necessity for some quick and natural method of again getting the four genuine coins together.
The trick may be brought to an effective conclusion as follows: After you have got rid of the double-faced penny, you may continue, “Perhaps it is a little too complicated for you with four coins; suppose we try it with one only, and I won’t even turn it over.” Placing one of the genuine pence on the middle of the right palm, which you hold out horizontally before you, you draw special attention to the fact that the coin is (say) “tail” upwards. Quickly covering it with the other hand, you say, “What is it now?” “Tail,” is the reply. “Wrong again!” you say, and, lifting up the hand, show that the coin has this time vanished altogether. This mysterious disappearance is effected as follows: When you apparently cover the coin with the left hand, you bring the hands together with a quick lateral motion as though sliding the one across the other. This shoots the coin from the palm down the opposite sleeve, the motion being so quick that the keenest eye cannot detect it. This little sleight is by no means difficult, and is well worthy of acquirement, as it may be introduced with equal effect in many tricks.