And it might be stated here that no matter what trick of this character is done by a magician, it may be set down as a safe rule that nothing ever comes out of a hat, a vase, a box or anything else, unless it has first gone in. So if a magician takes a live pig out of a hat, it is very certain he first put it there. Of course, how he gets it there is his trick—he does it so quickly and deftly that one fails to see him. Certainly, one cannot fold a guinea pig up into a packet the size of a pill box, as one can yards and yards of paper ribbon, but there are ways of getting it in a hat which differ with each conjurer.
The show was over, the audience departed, having passed an enjoyable evening, and Professor Rosello was putting away his apparatus when he saw a man walking down the aisle toward the stage. He suspected this was Joe’s foster-father and the suspicion was made a certainty a moment later.
“You had a young man working for you on the stage, didn’t you?” asked the deacon. “He was here a while ago.”
“Yes, I have an assistant. Here, boy!” Professor Rosello called.
“No, I don’t mean that one,” said the deacon, as the small lad came out. “I mean the other. Joe Strong his name is.”
“Oh, Joe. Yes,” said the professor slowly. “Well, he’s gone.”
“Gone?” The deacon looked startled. “I was waiting for him.”
“Well, he’s gone,” went on the professor. “He’s far away from here now. Perhaps if he had known you wanted him he would have waited.”
“Oh, no, he wouldn’t!” exclaimed the deacon. “He knew what I wanted all right—that is if he saw me, which I didn’t think he did. I want him on a charge of robbery. He also set fire to my place, though I don’t say he did that on purpose. However, he’s got to pay for the damage. But where is he? I’ve got a warrant for him.”
“He’s gone, I tell you,” insisted the professor.