I began to be puzzled. Still, I remembered that small signs and labels were often printed, consisting of only a word or two, which did not require any copy.
"Is it a sign?" said I.
"No."
"Labels?"
"No."
"Then what in the world is it? And how do you suppose I am going to print for you, unless I know what to print?"
"That's the point of the whole business," said Isaac. "I want you to let me come into your office, and use your type and press to print a little thing that concerns nobody but myself, and I don't care to have even you know about it. I want you to let me do all the work myself, when you are not here, and I shall wash up the rollers, distribute the type, destroy all my proofs, and leave everything in the office as I found it. Of course I shall pay you the same as if you did the work."
"But how can you set the type?" said I. "You don't even know the case, do you?"
"No," said he; "but I suppose the letters are all in it somewhere, and I can find them with a little searching."
"And do you know how to lock up a form?" said I.