Page:Memoirs of the United States Secret Service.djvu/130

 cashier, individually, as a farther safeguard agaiust unlawful deception.

There was a single apprentice employed in this office, by the afore mentioned printer, who, as he advanced in years gave promise of becoming a rare good workman—skillful, tasteful, artistic, and deeply interested as he was in his profession—whom his master at length consigned to Prof. Silliman of Yale College, to study the art of electro-chemistry; the expenses of which acquirement the master willingly defrayed. The boy became a proficient in this important science, and the knowledge he thus obtained served both himself and his employer to excellent account, in after years.

The young man's name was William Brockway—the subject of our present sketch. He was modest, reticent, clear-headed, quick-witted, and "knew a hawk from a hand saw, every time." He lost no opportunity during the term of his studies with Prof. Silliman, to gain all the knowledge of this science then attainable, and he left his instructor an accomplished chemist and a very clever student, to return to his labors again devotedly in the printing office.

The boy told his astute but not so well informed employer how some things could be done, in the course of his business, which vastly pleased him. And so it was agreed between them, one day, that when next the New Haven plates came to the office to print more Bank notes from, the attempt should be made to get up a plate of their own—from the original—in a way that William suggested would be quite feasible. Delighted with the idea, the old knave and the young one watched for the future coming of the plates, attended by the careful sober Directors, with considerable solicitude, for both man and boy saw in their scheme a heap of money in prospective, if the plan conceived should not miscarry in the attempt to execute it.