had not time to sell out
another stock before dinner. As she walked up the street, on her way
home, she encountered Master Simon Sneed, who, with the dignity and
stateliness of a merchant prince, was lugging a huge bundle of goods to
the residence of some customer.

"I am glad to see you, Simon," said Katy. "Have you seen your friend
the mayor?"

"I am sorry to inform you, Katy, that a press of business has prevented
my calling on his honor."

"I am sorry for that. I am afraid I shall never see the watch again."

"Depend upon it, you shall. I pledge you my honor that I will use every
exertion to recover the lost treasure. Just now our firm require the
undivided attention of all in the store."

"I told Mrs. Gordon all about it, and she promised to speak to the
mayor."

"It was unnecessary to trouble her with the matter; my influence with
the mayor will be quite sufficient."

"I dare say it will; but when shall you see him?"

"Very soon, be patient, Katy."

"Mrs. Gordon promised to take me to the mayor to-day, and tell him all
about it."

"Take you to the mayor!" exclaimed Master simon.

"That's what she said."

"You will be afraid of him, and not able to tell your story."

"No, I guess I shan't. I will tell him that I have mentioned the matter
to you."

"Perhaps you had better not; his honor, though we have been quite
intimate, may not remember my name. But I must leave you now, for the
firm gets very uneasy in my absence."

Simon shouldered his bundle again, and moved off, and Katy walked
towards home, wondering why a person of so much importance to the
Messrs. Sands & Co. should be permitted to degrade himself by carrying
bundles. When she got home, she found her mother in a very cheerful
frame of mind, the result of her reading and meditation.

"Well. Katy, you come back with an empty tray have you sold all your
candy?" asked Mrs. Redburn, as she entered the room.

"Yes, mother, every stick. I have brought back sixty-six cents,"
replied Katy, emptying her pocket on the bed.

"Sixty-six cents! But you had only thirty sticks of candy."

"You must not blame me for what I have done, mother; I could not help
it;" and she proceeded to narrate all the particulars of her forenoon's
occupation.

Mrs. Redburn was annoyed at the incident with the fat gentleman; more
so than by the rudeness to which Katy had been subjected. The little
merchant was so elated at her success, that her mother could not fin