The Calostro Three-Finger Shell

While discussing methods of "stealing" questions one day, the publisher of this monograph disclosed that he had invented an improvement on the thumb tip feke for stealing folded billets. The improvement consists of a metal shape, or shell, made to slip over the first three fingers of the right hand, and cover as far as the second joints. (See Fig. 7A). (Some might prefer the last three fingers.)

The inventor suggests having this feke shaped over a mold of the performer's hand, so as to fit and resemble it correctly. But the fit is an easy one, not tight and not loose, with room to hold several billets and still be worn on the fingers. Flesh tinted, of course, and done to match the performer's own skin.

The working is as follows: Have one or more of these fekes in the right trouser's pocket, and several No. 6-3/4 size envelopes in left coat pocket. Removing one envelope with the left hand, the performer starts collection of billets as in Thumb Tip Billet Steal (One Ahead). But before doing so, he slips the three-finger feke in the envelope (Figs. 7B and 7C) in the act of opening it, leaves it there, and then he collects several questions and pushes them into the feke. (Fig. 7D). Feke is then removed under cover of stuffing a last question into the envelope with the three fingers. The right hand with shell on fingers underneath and thumb on top (Fig. 7E) takes the envelope from the left hand, and envelope (still containing some billets) is given to spectators to pass along their row as they put in their questions. The sequence of moves is natural. The shell is hidden under cover of envelope most of the time and when the envelope is passed out, the shell with stolen questions, is emptied in right trouser's pocket.

Another envelope is given outright to spectators in one row to hold their several billets.

A third row is worked with the same or another three-finger shell, thus stealing some more questions.

In this manner, the performer gains possession of any number of scattered questions, yet spectators do the actual sealing of all envelopes and all envelopes are held in possession of the audience, but the envelope from any one row is given to a spectator elsewhere to hold.

In much less time than it takes to describe them, the various moves may be made naturally and without suspicion. The brief time the feke is in sight, the hand is kept in motion, same as with thumb tip.

When sufficient questions are stolen in various parts of the house, performer returns to the stage, in transit palming one question out of bunch in right trouser's pocket. On reaching stage, he throws a foulard over his raised left forearm, and places a gazing crystal in left hand. The foulard, on the side draped towards performer, has two pockets concealed in its folds, or in the design. The pockets must be convenient to reach so that the billets may be secretly transferred from performer's pocket into the first foulard pocket, and when answered, it is disposed of in the second pocket. Of course, the foulard hangs down far enough to conceal these moves, and it is used now and then to wipe off the crystal.

Another way is to place the crystal ball on a tall stand, the top of which is draped with the foulard with the secret pockets towards the performer.