Under Your Hat

Five cards are sealed in an envelope before one of them is chosen. Although the envelope remains in view at all times, propped against a borrowed hat, the chosen card vanishes from the envelope and is found under the hat.

1. Borrow a pack of cards, a sheet of paper, two felt hats, and an envelope. Place the hats, crown downwards, on the table and stand to its left. Tear the paper into five slips and hand them and the cards to a volunteer spectator, instructing him to have five spectators each freely select one card, to give each of these spectators a slip of paper, and then to lay the pack aside.

Request the spectators to write the names of their cards on the slips of paper. This done, have your assistant collect the five cards and hand them to you.

2. Take the envelope in your left hand and hold it as in Fig. 65. Apparently slide the five cards into it, but actually allow four only to enter, keeping the face card–which you note (say it is the two of diamonds)–on the outside under your left thumb (Fig. 66).

3. Seal the envelope naturally and pass it, with the card cOncealed behind, to your right hand, dropping them into one of the hats. You must not be hasty or furtive in doing this. There is no reason why anyone should suspect what you are doing.

4. Walk away a few paces, pause, and turn back. Remove the envelope from the hat, then turn the hat over and place it, brim downwards, on the table, the card dropping on to the table top where it is concealed by the hat. Saying, "I'll place the envelope here in this makeshift easel," stand it upright in the crease of the hat, which you deepen to accommodate it.

5. Instruct your assistant to take the other hat and collect the written slips after they have been folded or crumpled. Next invite him to reach into the hat and mix them thoroughly, pick one at random and hand it to you. Casually open it and, regardless of what is written on it, ask, "Will the gentleman who wrote the two of diamonds–" (or whatever your glimpsed card may be) "–step up and take the envelope?" Do not add to or change the wording in any way .

Without showing the slip to the spectator (unless by chance it bears the name of the card you glimpsed), direct him to take the envelope and open it. As he does this, unhurriedly and absently put the slip in your pocket, concentrating all your attention upon the spectator.

6. Tell him to take the five cards from the envelope and call their names. He finds four cards only–the two of diamonds is missing.

7. You look at him, smiling, then turn to the audience and say, "The card has vanished!" Turn back to the spectator, saying, "Perhaps it's under the hat." He lifts the hat and finds the missing card!

By the law of averages, once in five times the name of the glimpsed card and the name written on the slip will coincide. When this happens, hand the slip to the spectator when he comes forward, saying, "That is your handwriting?" and when he confirms this, continue with the trick. The feat is strengthened immeasurably when this occurs.