"Dear me!" exclaimed Katy, frightened at the remarks of the mayor. "Now, Katy, we will go to the store of the Messrs. Sands & Co., and find out about this young man. I will meet you there at half-past four. Good-by, Katy. Freddie thinks ever so much of you now, and in his behalf I thank you for the candy." Katy did not know exactly what to make of her position but at the time fixed, she was at the store of Sands & Co., where the mayor soon joined her. "Now, Katy, you shall hear what his employers say of Master Simon," said he; and she followed him into the store. The mayor stated his business, and inquired concerning the character of Simon. "He is honest, and did his work very well," replied Mr. Sands. Katy was pleased to hear this, and the mayor confessed his surprise. "But he was an intolerable nuisance about the store," continued Mr. Sands. "With only a small amount of modesty, he would have done very well; as it was, he was the biggest man in our employ. Our customers were disgusted with him, and we had been thinking of getting rid of him for a long time. When he asked for more wages, impudently declaring he would leave if we did not accede to his demand, we discharged him. In a word, I wouldn't have him round the store at any price." "As I supposed," replied the mayor, as he showed Mr. Sands the recommendation Simon had written. "This sounds just like him." Katy pitied poor Simon now that she understood him, and she went home determined to tell him all that had passed between the mayor and herself. CHAPTER XV. KATY GETS A LETTER FROM LIVERPOOL. Master Simon Sneed sat at the window when Katy returned, and she had to tell him all about it. She pitied him, poor fellow, and she hoped the lesson would do him good. She did not like to tell him so many unpleasant things, for they would wound his pride. "Well, Katy, what did my friend the mayor say?" asked Simon, as he joined her on the sidewalk. "I am afraid you will not call him your friend after this," replied Katy. "Why? He had not the effrontery to refuse my reasonable request?" "The what? Please to use words that I can understand," said she, for she was not a little disgusted with Simon's big words, now she knew how much mischief they had done him. "Didn't he give you the paper?" "He did not." "I didn't think that of him. It was shabby." "He said he did not know you. But I showed him your paper, in which you had written down what you thought of yourself." "Well, what did he say to that?" asked Simon, eagerly. "I thought he would split his fat sides laughing. He didn't seem to believe a word of it." "He didn't? I am surprised at that." "He said you were a conceited puppy." "I always took the mayor for a sensible fellow; I see I have been mistaken." "He didn't like it because you sent me to him upon such an errand. He said you had imposed upon me."