Procure two small apples exactly alike, and in the bottom of one scoop
out a hole large enough to hold a pile of three sixpences. Make a
conical cover out of cartridge paper large enough to cover the apple and
about nine inches in height. Obtain six sixpences, three of which place
in a pile on an inverted glass goblet. Conceal the other three and the
hollow apple in your left hand. Ask some one to examine the cover, and,
on receiving it back, transfer it to your left hand and slip it over the
apple. Then give the duplicate apple for examination, and, taking the
cover by its lower part, and the apple concealed in it, place both over
the three sixpences on the glass. Take the apple that has been examined,
and put it under the table with your left hand, hold it between your
knees, and say: "I command this apple to pass through the table and take
the place now occupied by the three sixpences, and the sixpences to fall
into my hand." Bring your left hand from under the table and show the
coins, lift up the cover and show the apple on the glass. Then reverse
the procedure. Cover the apple on the glass; place the three sixpences
under the table; secure the apple held between your knees and roll it on
the table; lift up the cover and hollow apple together, and, dropping
the latter into your lap, show the former is empty. This trick should be
performed sitting.