The solution lies in the fact that the coin at which the spectator
ends will necessarily be at the same distance from the root of the
tail as there are coins in the tail itself. Thus, suppose that there
are five coins in the tail, and that the spectator makes up his mind
to count eleven. He commences from the tip of the tail, and counts up
the left side of the circle. This brings him to the sixth coin beyond
the tail. He then retrogrades, and calling that coin "one," counts
eleven in the opposite direction. This necessarily brings him to the
fifth coin from the tail on the opposite side, being the length of the
tail over and above those coins which are common to both processes. If
he chooses ten, twelve, or any other number, he will still, in
counting back again, end at the same point.

The rearrangement of the coins which is apparently intended to make
the trick more surprising, is really designed, by altering the length
of the tail, to shift the position of the terminating coin. If the
trick were performed two or three times in succession, with the same
number of coins in the tail, the spectators could hardly fail to
observe that the same final coin was always indicated, and thereby to
gain a clue to the secret. The number of coins in the circle itself is
quite immaterial.

THE WANDERING DIME

Have ready two dimes, each slightly waxed on one side. Borrow a dime,
and secretly exchange it for one of the waxed ones, laying the latter
waxed side uppermost on the table. Let any one draw two squares of
ordinary card-board. Take them in the left hand, and, transferring
them to the right, press the second waxed dime against the center of