John then conducted her up-stairs into a room the walls of which were almost covered with books. Katy thought what a wise man the mayor must be, for she had never seen so many books before in her life, and took it for granted the mayor had read them all. As she entered the apartment she saw a fat gentleman sitting at the desk, very busy examining a great pile of papers. When he turned his head, Katy was not much surprised to see that it was the nice gentleman who had given her half a dollar for fourteen cents' worth of candy. "Ah, my dear, is it you!" exclaimed the mayor, as he recognized the little candy merchant. "Yes, sir; if you please, it is me," stammered Katy, making her obeisance, and feeling very mush confused, for it was the first time she had ever come into the presence of a great man, and she could not exactly tell whether she ought to get down on her knees, as she had read that people did when they approached a king, or to remain standing. "Well my dear, what is your name?" continued the mayor. "Katy Redburn, if you please, sir," replied Katy with another courtesy. "I am glad you have come to me with this business, Katy. Mrs. Gordon speaks very handsomely of you." "She is very kind, sir." "You have lost your watch--have you, Katy?" "My father's watch, if you please, sir," and having gained a little confidence from the kind tones of the mayor, she proceeded to tell him the whole story of her adventure in the pawnbroker's shop. The mayor listened attentively to the artless recital, and promised to do all in his power to regain the watch. "Were you alone, Katy, when you went to the pawnbroker's?" "No, sir; there was one of your friends with me," replied she with a simple smile. "One of my friends?" "Yes, sir; and he promised to see you about it." "I am afraid you have been imposed upon, Katy." "No, sir; he has often spoken to me about his friend the mayor." "But who was he?" "Master Simon Sneed." "Sneed? Sneed?" mused the mayor. "Yes, sir; Master Simon Sneed." "Master? What is he? A schoolmaster?" "O, no, sir. Everybody calls him master. He keeps store." "Sneed? I never heard the name before. Where is his store?" "In Washington Street. It says Sands & Co. on the sign." "O, you mean the boy that makes the fires, sweeps out, and does the errands. I remember him now," said the mayor, laughing heartily at poor Katy's account of Simon. "I never heard his name before; but he is the oldest boy of his age I ever saw." "He was very kind to me." "No doubt he is a very good boy; but I supposed from your account of him that he was a member of the firm." "Master Simon says the firm would not be able to get along without him," replied Katy, who began to have some doubts whether Simon was so great a man as he had represented himself to be.