So saying, the professor beckoned a villager, who sat near the stage, to approach and assist him in the performance of his first grand trick. “Dobby,” exclaimed his terrified wife, “sit thee still; that man has dealings with the old one; I would not that he should touch your garment for all the gingerbread in the fair.” This exclamation of the terrified wife set the whole audience in a roar, and produced a confusion which the skilful conjuror is always anxious to create, when any sly work is to be performed. In truth, this scene had been previously concerted by the renowned Crank Smirky, who had engaged this said Dobby as his confederate. A series of very amusing tricks were then performed with cards and counters; such, for instance, as desiring some person to draw a card from the pack, and having observed what it was, to return it; which card, to the wonder of the company, was immediately found in Dobby’s pocket. Mr. Seymour informed his children that the explanation of this trick would serve to show the manner in which most of the deceptions on cards were performed. He said, that the conjuror’s pack of cards always contained a card, technically termed a ‘_brief_ card,’ or ‘the _old gentleman_,’ which is one made on purpose by the card-maker, and is a little larger than any of the rest; the performer always knows it by feeling it, and can easily force it upon the unsuspecting drawer; should he, however, attempt to take any other, the conjuror, under some pretence, shuffles again, till at length he induces him to take the one intended for him. After the card has been introduced again into the pack, the performer, without any difficulty, withdraws it, and the confederate is called upon to produce the duplicate which had been previously placed in his pocket. The children were told that the several deceptions with coin, or counters, which they had witnessed, were accomplished by a species of dexterity acquired only by practice, and termed ‘_palming_;’ it consisted in being able to retain a shilling, halfpenny, or counter, in the palm of the hand, while it remained extended; thus the performer desires any one to reckon five pieces, which are accordingly placed on the table before him, the conjuror then takes them up, and having dexterously palmed one, he adds it to the number as he places it in the hand of the unsuspecting person. Tom and his sisters expressed themselves much pleased and surprised with the dexterity of the performer; “But,” added the intelligent boy, “I should be much more gratified by tricks that were indebted for their mystery to some philosophical principle.” Mr. Seymour and the vicar again interchanged looks that strongly marked the feelings which had been excited by this observation. The former turning to his son, said, that if he waited patiently, he would shortly be gratified in that wish, for he knew Crank Smirky was prepared to exhibit some recreations in divination, that were founded on the science of numbers.