Spot Conlon stretched as he stood up. He'd been enjoying a guilty pleasure - sweet buns from Filmore's Bakery, a treat he tried to indulge in as much as possible. He'd even worked out a deal with the baker - he'd bring an early morning pape and in exchange was presented with one of the coveted buns.

The sun was just rising over the skyline and melting away the early morning dampness - it was going to be another hot day. It was time to finish selling his papes and hopefully find enough daylight left to go for a swim at the harbor.

He lifted up his stack of papes and bellowed "Ma'hatten baby born with three heads!" He worked headline magic as he meandered down the street peddling his wares left and right. He loved how being the leader of the Brooklyn newsies afforded him the right to hawk his papes anywhere. Not that he ever cared for other peoples' turf. In fact, that's how he'd been given his nickname - he wasn't afraid to steal the best pape selling spots in Brooklyn - or anywhere else.

He had walked the length of several blocks and had lightened his load by just as many papes when he heard a commotion and saw what appeared to be a fight in the entance of an alleyway.

"Welcome to Brooklyn." Spot said to himelf as he crossed the street at a steady clip. It looked like a few of his mguys were cheering on whomever was fighting which meant the fight most likely involved his men "Move over! Move over!" He shouted, making his way through the crowd, his walking cane makinng short work of parting the mob.

At the center of the mass were three girls, part of Mabel's Girl's Home. They were pummeling what appeared at first to Spot as a long haired boy. On further inspection Spot realized it was in fact another girl dressed in boy's clothing

Now Spot enjoyed a good fight and a girl fight even more, but only if they were fair, but Mabel's Girls had their victim on the ground kicking with their sharp, pointed boots. And it looked as if it had been going on for sometime as the girl on the ground had blood pouring from her face and head. Three on one was most definatly NOT a fair fight, girls or otherwise.

"Ladies! Ladies!" Spot yelled, attempting to quell the vicious attack.

Mabel's Girls either didn't hear him over the crowd or chose not to too.

Spot sighed.

"Cream, Hide, Lefty! Get'em offa her before we have a murder on our hands!"

The boys pulled the attacker back. mabel's Girls soon stopped fighting back when they noticed their leader, Spot.

"Youse can let us go, Spotty." Purred one of the girls.

"Wese just had to teach her a lessons all," said another.

"It's her fault. Selling on our corner and all." chimed in the third.

Spot furrowed his brow then squatted down by their victim who had sat up and was gingerly wiping the blood from her face with the back of her hand.

Suddenly, she lept up at the girl closest to her - "Street trash!" she yelled as Spot caught her around the waist, keeping her and Mabel's Girls seperated.

"Get'em outta here! Get out of here all of youse! Dontcha got papes to sell?!"

The crowd parted, taking Mabel's Girls with it. His captive continued fighting his grasp like a madwoman - struggling and digging her claws in.

"Let go of me! Let go!" she yelled

Spot continued to hold her tightly against him. "Youse gonna be a good girl?"

"Let. Me. Go."

"I'll let you go, but you gotta promise me you aint goona kill nobody."

Letting her go, Spot watched as she ssank back to her knees and try to salvage the ruined papes scattered in the alleyway. Seeing they were beyond repair, she shredded them in a fit of rage and dispair. Closing her eyes and covering her face with her hands she let out a shuddered sob.

"Hey, hey. Why youse crying? I've been beat up a lot worse than dis." Spot pulled out a hankerchef and gently dabbed at the blood flowing from a cut on her head.

"That was my last 10 cents." She hiccupped. She tried to stand up, shoving Spot away. "I don't need your pity!"

Again Spot grabbed her by the waist. "Whoah! Where use goin?"

"I don't need your help."

"Lemme at least get the blood offa."

She relented, allowing him to mmop the blood from her face. "Bet you're really cute under all this blood." Spot held the hankerchief to her bloody nose. "Don't look broke, just busted. Here, hold dat there." He lifted her hand to her nose. "Der now, why don't you tell me your name?"

"Josie." She replied as she sat back against the building, tears swelling in her eyes again.

"Purdy name Josie. I'm Spot - Spot Conlon, King of Brooklyn. Youse new around here or I woulda heard of you."

She checked to see if her nose was still bleeding then replied, "Yeah, pretty new."

"Youse ain't got no money?"

She shuddered a sob and shook her head.

"No place to stay?"

Again she shook her head.

"Orphan?"

She covered her eyes as she wept.

"That's tuff." He rubbed her shoulder with the palm of his hand. "Please don' cry. I can help ya. Can't take you to Mabel's, but I'll do what I can."
"I don't need your help." She sniffled.

"Youse need someone's help by the looks of it."

Josie sighed and took Spot's outreached hand.