Chapter XIV: The Biggest Newspaper Spoof on Record

How the great spoof first came into my mind--Hoaxing
the newspaper Press of two continents--Telepathy and
thought-transference--The incredulous reporter--I propose
a drastic test--A representative of the _Bristol Times and
Mirror_ hides a stylograph pen in an unknown quarter of the city
--I am blindfolded and find it--Amazement and enthusiasm of
the people--A column report in the newspaper--An insoluble
problem--Various theories as to how it was done--An
indoors test imposed by the Editor of the _Bath Chronicle_--
Blindfolded through the streets of Bath--Vast crowds--I am
again successful--Press and public alike bewildered--Hoaxing
the Yankees--The Oakland, California, _Tribune’s_ test--
Two hundred and fifty dollars in gold hidden--The Secretary
of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce is chosen to secrete the
treasure--Again I am successful--My best free Press “ad.”--
Congratulations all round 203

CHAPTER XV

HOW THE BIG SPOOF WAS WORKED

Muscle training on novel lines--How not to be blindfolded--
Artificially developed frontal muscles--The advantage of
possessing a prominent proboscis--Following one’s nose--I
study boots--A Sherlock Holmes of footwear--Acting blind
--Not so easy as it sounds--Queer happenings at Halifax--
A mishap at Leeds--Police stop the performance--A curious
mischance at Bath--Ingenious explanations to account for the
feat--Invisible wires--Guided by bugle calls--Following the
scent 213

CHAPTER XVI

TELEPATHIC AND MESMERIC SPOOFS

Real spiritualism and sham mesmerism--Spoof séances--I ring one
off on my landlady--The self-playing piano--The spirit that
walked upside-down--Some simple explanations--Manufacturing
a telepathist to order--Thought-reading extraordinary--The
colour test--Telepathy by wire--A brief dream of wealth--
A sleepy wife and a hidden match-box--The dead-head who was
spoofed--A disconcerting reception--Story of Houdini, the
“Handcuff King”--More telepathy--Over the telephone this time
--A puzzling link--And the explanation 226

CHAPTER XVII

SHARPS AND FLATS

Spoofing a mesmerist--The spoofer spoofed--Spoof card tricks--
Racecourse sharps--The “dud” diamond wheeze--I am beautifully
“had”--Three-card trick sharps--A Newcastle adventure--
Bunny’s spoof--Spoofing a “new chum”--The performing elephant
and the dude--Wheezes and gags 242

CHAPTER XVIII

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM

Sharing terms--Some tricks of the trade--Spoof telegrams--A
Bradford dispute--I engage to fight “The Terror of the Meat
Market”--A packed house--I enter a lion’s den--And am
glad to get out again--A trick the police foiled--Tricks of
trick swimmers--I learn a secret or two--Pigeon shooting
extraordinary--“Satan’s Dream”--Royalty at a side-show--My
mother hears me over the electrophone--At Wentworth Woodhouse
--A kind reception--My embarrassing mistake--An angler’s
paradise 263