Page:Houdini - Paper Magic.djvu/22

Rh the right hand immediately seizes this hat by the brim as before, which brings the ball inside. The hat is carried across and dropped on the left hand ball and the hand withdrawn, thus leaving the two balls together. A ball is now placed on top of each hat.

With the left hand pick up the ball from the top of the hat on that side and pretend to pass it into the right, in reality palming it in the left hand by pinching a fold between the thumb and the side of the hand. Make the throwing motion as described and as you stoop down it is a perfectly natural move to place the left hand on the left leg above the knee while reaching with the right to turn over the hat. This will effectually conceal the ball held in that hand. Raise the hat and show the two balls. As soon as the hat is raised it is passed to the loft hand and while that hand is covered the ball is brought to the finger tips and held inside as before and the hat dropped over the two balls. Repeat this with the other ball. As they are now all together, the rest of the trick is merely conversation.