Procure three coins (pennies or half-crowns) exactly alike. Scratch a
cross on two, and in the third bore a hole, in which fasten a short
piece of black elastic cord. The other end of the elastic tie round your
ankle, taking care that the coin does not hang below your trouser leg.
Put one of the marked pennies in your left-hand trousers pocket and drop
the other one unobserved into the pocket of some one present, or give it
to a confederate to hold. Commence by borrowing a similar coin to those
you are using and mark it like the others. Hold it between the thumb and
finger of the right hand, and, giving it a twist, spin it on the table,
then snapping your fingers over it, catch the edge of the coin and it
will fly up your sleeve. Close your hand and say, "I will make this coin
fly up my sleeve, travel round my back, and pass down my other sleeve."
In the meantime you have secured the penny in your pocket and concealed
it in your left hand. Open your right hand, showing it is empty, and
then show the penny in the other hand. Lower your right hand, the penny
in your sleeve will drop into it, and you can pocket it unobserved. Then
ask for the loan of a cap and walking-stick. Request some one to hold
the stick, while you hold the cap in your left hand. Pick up the penny
with your right hand and pretend to place it on the floor. In doing so
substitute the coin attached to the elastic, and, stretching the latter,
hold the coin on the floor while you cover it with the cap, and ask the
person who has the stick to place its end on the coin through the cap
and keep it there until you tell him to move it. Then say, "I command
this coin to leave the cap and pass into Mr. So-and-So's pocket. Move
the stick, please, and then lift up the cap." On the removal of the
stick the coin will fly under your trouser leg, and, of course, when the
cap is lifted it is no longer on the floor. On the person whose name you
mentioned putting his hand in his pocket he will find the coin you
placed there, which you return to the person from whom you borrowed the
penny.