ed on the sidewalk for half an hour,
hoping he would come out. As he did not appear, her impatience would
not permit her to lose any more time, and she timidly opened the door,
and inquired of the first salesman she saw if Mister Sneed was in.

"Mister Sneed!" laughed the clerk. "Here, Simon, is one of your
friends. Wait upon her."

Simon, with a flushed cheek, came to the door. He was horrified at the
insinuation of the salesman and wished Katy had been on the other side
of the ocean before she had come there to scandalize him by claiming
his acquaintance.

"What do you want now?" he demanded, rather rudely. "Is it not enough
that I am willing to help you, without your coming here to bring me
into contempt with my associates?"

"I didn't think there was any harm in it. I waited outside for half an
hour, and you didn't come out."

"I can't leave the affairs of this firm to attend to every little----"
and Master Simon's naturally good heart prevented him from uttering the
unkind words that had been on his tongue. "I suppose you come to know
about the watch. I haven't had time to call upon the mayor yet, but I
will do so at dinner time."

"I only wanted to ask you if you know where Mrs. Gordon lives," replied
Katy, very sad at the thought of the mischief she had done.

"She lives in Temple Street, over back of the State House. What do you
want of her?"

"I want to see her. Do you suppose you can get that watch back?"

"I'm certain I can. When my friend the mayor hears my story, you may
depend upon it he will get the watch, or upset all the pawn-brokers'
shops in the city."

"Are you acquainted with the mayor?" asked Katy, timidly, for, since
the adventure of the previous day, she had entertained some slight
doubts in regard to the transcendent abilities of Master Simon Sneed.

"Certainly I am. It was only last week that I had a long and extremely
interesting conversation with his honor on the sidewalk here before the
store."

Katy was satisfied, though Simon did not offer to introduce her to his
distinguished friend. How could she help being satisfied in the face of
such astounding evidence? And Simon's declaration was true, for
whatever faults he had, he never made up a story out of whole cloth. It
was undeniably true that he had conversed with the mayor for ten full
minutes, at the time and place represented. Simon had been sent out to
hold his honor's horse, while a lady with him did some shopping; but