“You see how easy it is,” the young performer continued. “I did not touch the egg after I placed it in the water, nor did I approach the glass jar. You may examine both in a moment. I will now dissolve the magic spell I have cast about the egg. With my wand I make some passes—so——”
Joe put his wand into the water and stirred it about the egg, but did not touch it. In a second the egg slowly sank to the bottom of the jar, to the mystification of the audience.
“You may think there is some trick about it,” said Joe. “But any one of you is at liberty to try and make the egg halt half-way down, as I did. Will you try it?” he said to the woman who had picked out the egg.
She blushed and shook her head.
“Then you, please,” and Joe indicated a young man, who, sheepishly enough, came up on the stage. Joe handed him the jar of water, the young man reached down into it, got the egg and put it in the jar as Joe had done. But the egg at once sank to the bottom, and though the young man tried again, he had no success.
“You see, it’s magic,” laughed Joe, as he made ready for his smashed watch trick.
CHAPTER XIX
THE CIRCUS
And now for the explanation of the egg trick. It is so simple that any of you may do it at home, with just an ordinary egg, a fruit jar and some salt. Don’t forget the salt.
You have all heard the story, told to children, about putting salt on a bird’s tail in order to tame it. Well, a fresh egg that one wishes to make float half-way submerged in a jar of water, must be treated in the same way. It must be salted.
Just as Joe said, a fresh egg will sink in water. But it will float in strong brine, or salt water, the reason being that salt water is denser, and has a greater specific gravity, than fresh water.