Prologue

He watched as the newsies ran down the stairs and into the streets like every other morning and helped Snipeshooter up as he missed a step and tumbled down the last few steps. The boy thanked him and ran out of the building. He smiled and shook his head before he went back to what he was doing before the boys had interrupted him.

He finished his chores before heading out to run a few errands for the lodging house. There was medicine to fetch. Food to buy and most importantly he had to get a little work done for himself. He couldn't believe how much work went into running the lodging house. He pitied poor old Kloppman whom had been doing this for years and only just decided that he needed a break.

As soon as he stepped into Tibby's he noticed how the same old group of newsies were sitting in the same old booth eating the same old thing they always ate while the rest of the newsies sat wherever they could. One of the younger boys, Itey if he remembered correctly, was trying to get Jack's attention but it was almost as if he was invisible.

He frowned but quickly ordered his own meal and left the restaurant to go back to the lodging house which is where he should be. He had a lot of paperwork to do if he was going to help good old Kloppman out. He had promised he would take over this place for three weeks and not cause any trouble at all.

As soon as he was done with the day's paperwork he started on dinner hoping they would forgive him for making Spaghetti and sauce for the second time that week. He only knew how to make Spaghetti and sandwiches. They hadn't complained yet so he was pretty sure they were just being grateful for whatever dinner they could get. Then again it had only been three days.

The moment the boys started pouring in he noticed that the same group stuck together while they practically ignored the rest of the newsies. He frowned as he watched the tall one with his bowler hat, Jake if he was correct, try to ask Mush something but he was practically ignored just like the other boy had been that morning.

He smirked and quickly wrote a letter. Well two letters. One to Kloppman like he had promised and one to an old friend of his whom would be happy to know what was going on with the newsies.