First take a piece of paper, double it, and cut from it a pair of boots, the fold in the paper coming at the top of the boots, and consequently joining them together. Then take another piece, fold it and cut it in the form of Fig. 2, _a_ being the folded end. Fold still another piece and cut it like Fig. 3, _b_ representing the folding side. Now open the smaller piece, as in Fig. 4, and push the point _a_ through the opening in its center (Fig. 5). Then put one boot through the loop of the long arm, _c_, between _a_ and the smaller piece, which has been pushed forward as far as it will go (Fig. 6). Now pull the smaller piece down over _a_, and open the largest piece, and the boots are fastened on to the larger paper in such a way that it is rather hard for the uninitiated to extricate them.
After they are fastened in place, with your finger-nail smooth out the creases made at _a_, Fig. 5, as their appearance might furnish a clue toward solving the mystery. It is best when cutting Fig. 2 to avoid the creasing if possible.
When you pass them to your friends to take off, explain that they are not to bend the boots. It is an excellent plan to make the last-named articles of cardboard, while the other parts are simply of note-paper.
The person whose portrait is to be taken must sit so that his shadow is thrown upon a sheet of cardboard or thick white paper placed against the wall. To obtain a sharp outline there should be a fixed distance between the lamp, wall, and sitter, which can easily be found by experiment. The sitter must keep perfectly still while the outline of the shadow is quickly traced upon the paper. A tumbler or roll of paper may be placed between the head of the sitter and the wall, to aid in holding the head quiet. The tracing is then cut out with a pair of scissors or a sharp penknife, and placed upon a dark cloth or paper. This is a very pleasing amusement for a cold winter’s evening, and the results are often profile likenesses not only very striking but often wonderfully accurate.
No boy feels himself perfectly at home if he has not one pocket at least full of strings, and a good sharp jackknife at his command. Although the jackknife often gets lost, the string is usually at hand, and most boys will probably be glad to learn how a good strong cord can be broken without injury to the hands. Take the cord and pass it around the left hand, as shown in Fig. A, so as to form a cross or double loop over the palm. One end is then wound round the fingers, and the other seized in the right hand. Then, by closing both hands, and giving a very sharp, quick pull, the string will be broken at the cross in the left hand.