Part 55 (1/2)

”Oh yes,” cried Tootten”

”Well,” said Uncle Richard, ”the oxide of iron is Nature's action upon the iron Man produces iron by heat froreat care is used to protect it fro back to a state of nature--oxidises, or goes back into a salt of iron That by the way; I a with a salt of iron but with a salt of silver There it is, so ar-candy when I wetted it in the water, and, as you see now, here it is a perfectly colourless fluid There, I have nearly done talking”

”More applause, Tom,” said the Vicar merrily

”Come, that's hardly fair,” retorted Uncle Richard ”What would you say to us if we applauded when you said one of your sermons was nearly at an end?”

”But we did not applaud the announcement that you had nearly done,” said the Vicar, ”but the fact that the experiment was nearly at hand”

”Yes; that's it, uncle Go on, please,” cried Toic trick is this,” continued Uncle Richard ”I ae a metal into a salt, but a salt-- that salt in solution in the water--back into a metal--the invisible into the visible--the colourless water into brilliant, flashi+ng, ed fro to that, Tom Blount,” said the Vicar; ”but we are the audience; let's be sceptical I'll say it isn't to be done”

”Oh yes,” said Tom seriously ”If uncle says he'll do it, he will”

”Well done, boy,” said the Vicar, clapping the lad on the back ”I wish my parishi+oners would all have as much faith in my words as you have in your uncle's But silence in the audience The lecturer will now proceed with the experilass jar ”Noatch the reat wonder See, I pour eight ounces--fluid ounces, Tolass lass jar, which will hold eight times as much From the next bottle I take an equal quantity and pour it into the jar; and from this bottle I take another equal quantity and pour it into the others Shake theether, and I have so much liquid which looks like water, but, as you may have observed, one of them was the limpid silver solution”

”Yes, I saw that,” said Tom

”I didn't,” said the Vicar; ”but boys always do see the critical thing in the conjuring trick But go on, Professor Brandon”

”I must come to a halt here,” said Uncle Richard

”No, no, don't say that, uncle,” cried Tom ”You've raised us up to such a pitch of expectation”

”Only for a few lass

Now then, when I lift out the piece, Tom, you take up the tray, and e the empty tray back, place it where it was before, and then co-paper to drain”

All this was done as requested, and then the lecturer was set free by Tolass, from which nearly all the water had run

”Now observe,” said Uncle Richard, ”this is the critical point of the experiment You see, I take this fourth bottle, and pour the same quantity of this clear liquid intoas I keep them separate no action takes place, but the moment I pour this clear liquid into that clear liquid, you will see that a change takes place Look--I ought to say behold!”

The contents of the lass jar

”Gets cloudy and thick,” cried Tom

”And thicker and thicker,” said the Vicar, as the contents of the jar ell shaken up, and then quickly poured into the tray

”Now, To a couple of little pieces of wood, he placed the the piece of broken glass speculuers of each hand, he quickly i one side go in first, and then the rest of the face, till the glass rested about half an inch deep in the tray, its face being perfectly covered all over

”Noatch,” continued the lecturer; ”the ,” and as he spoke he kept on rocking the glass to and fro upon the two bits of wood

”Why, it has turned all of a dirty black,” said To went on ”Why are you doing that, uncle?”