what time is it?" The leader answers thus: "Don't you know?"; next,
"Doubtless, dancing time." The assistant immediately answers "Four
o'clock," to the amazement of the company.

The key is that each hour, from 1 to 12 o'clock has been named
according to the letters of the alphabet in rotation, from A to K, The
leader, in answering, must be very careful to begin each answer with
the letter indicating the chosen hour; thus in the above the assistant
noticed that each answer began with "d," and "d" being the fourth
letter, four o'clock was the time chosen. Only the exact hours must be
chosen. As the different players think they understand the game, they
may take the assistant's place, and many ludicrous mistakes will be
the result until the game has been explained to all.



IT.


One of the players who does not know the game is sent out of the
room. While he is gone, the others are supposed to be thinking of some
person whom he is to guess when he comes in, but it is arranged that
each one describes his right hand neighbor when asked any
questions. It is more amusing if the circle is composed of boys and
girls alternating.

The player is called in, having been told beforehand that he is to
guess what person the company thought of and that that person is "It."

He begins by asking "Is it in this room?" "Yes." "Is it a boy?"