s quickened, the egg
will move more and more quickly, until it stands up on one end and
spins round like a top. In order to be quite sure that the experiment
will succeed, you should keep the egg upright while it is being
boiled, so that the inside may be hardened in the proper position.

* * * * *

THE MAGIC THREAD

Soak a piece of thread in a solution of salt or alum (of course, your
audience must not know you have done this). When dry, borrow a very
light ring and fix it to the thread. Apply the thread to the flame of
a candle; it will burn to ashes, but will still support the ring.

* * * * *

THE SWIMMING NEEDLES

There are several ways of making a needle float on the surface of the
water.

The simplest way is to place a piece of tissue paper on the water and
lay the needle on it; the paper soon becomes soaked with water and
sinks to the bottom, while the needle is left floating on the top.

Another method is to hang the needle in two slings made of threads,
which must be carefully drawn away as soon as the needle floats.

You can also make the needle float by simply holding it in your
fingers and laying it on the water. This, however, requires a very
steady hand.

If you magnetize a sewing-needle by rubbing it on a fairly strong
magnet and float it on the water, it will make an extremely sensitive
compass; and if you place two needles on the water at the same time,
you will see them slowly approach each other until they float side by
side, that is, if they do not strike together so heavily as to cause
them to sink.

* * * * *

THE BRIDGE OF KNIVES

Three knives may be supported by their handles in the following
manner: Place three glasses in a triangle, each side of which must be
about the length of one of the knives. The blade of the first knife
should rest on the blade of the second, by passing over it near to the
point where the handle and blade are joined; the blade of the second
passing in the same manner over the blade of the third, which is to
be made to rest on the blade of the first. The handles being then
carefully placed upon the glasses, a bridge is formed strong enough to
bear a considerable weight.

* * * * *

TO BALANCE A COFFEE-CUP ON THE POINT OF A KNIFE

The articles necessary for the performance of this trick are very
simple, a dinner-fork and an ordin