CHAPTER ONE

"Up, Up, Up! Come on boys! The papes ain't gonna sell 'emselves!" Mr. Kloppman yelled.

I rolled over and squinted against the sunlight that was streaming into the window. It's so early. I dont wanna get up. Not right now. Ughhh. I thought. "Ahhh, can it Kloppman. I need my sleep. I was at Sheepshead Bay 'til late last night."

I saw him shake his head before he said, "I don't know why ya waste your time with those ponies. Ya go there everyday and half the time ya come back empty handed and with less money than ya started with. Waste of time if ya ask me."

I rolled over and muttered, "Yeah but i didn't."

"You guys are actin' like you gots all da time in da world. Every mornin' it seems like i gotta remind you that da strikes over. Has been for a year now. So get up. The lot of ya. That means you too, Jack," he said poking Jack in the head as he walked past him.

"Alright, alright, i'm up," Jack groaned and sat up. He climbed out of the bunk and started moving around all the hustle and bustle of the other cranky newsboys. I hadn't moved, and tried my best not to. I couldn't lay there for long though because i saw that Snipeshooter had stole my last cigar again.

"Hey! That's my cigar, ya bum! Give it back!'

Snipe looked at me like i was the two-headed baby from Brooklyn. "Shut up Race. Not so early in the mornin'. You'll steal anudder one anyways."

I snatched the cigar outta his mouth and we started our morning ritual of punching each other.

Kid Blink jumped down from his top bunk and pulled us apart. "Awh, not again. Do yous guys gotta do this every mornin'?"

I rolled my eyes and lit up my cigar. Everytime. Everytime Snipeshooter sleeps next to me, he winds up stealin' my stuff.

I got off the bed and walked over to the wash basin where Mush and Skittery were havin' a discussion on what headline words sold papes best and where Mush could find matchin' laces for his shoes. Pushing them outta the way, i made my way over to Jack, who was busy puttin' on his britches. "I thought you'd stay over there at Davey's last night to see Sarah," I said to him winking.

"Naw, i stayed there the night before. I don't want there folks ta get tired of me, ya know?"

"Ah, true. I see your point. Hey, where do you plan on sellin' this mornin'? I might go to Sheepshead. I got an itch ta gamble again today."

He laughed. "You haven't won much in the past two weeks. Don't go blowin' all your dough or you won't be able to pay for your bed," he said grinning. "You ain't bummin' tonight, is ya?"

I glared at him. "Are you off ya trolley, Cowboy? I haven't bummed it since before da strike. And anyways, so what if i haven't won lately? Everyone has their rough months," I told him puffing on my cigar and looking annoyed at his observation about me losing.

He rolled his eyes and smirked at me before saying, "Have you heard? Apparently there is this new girl in Manhattan. She's a newsie."

I thought for a minute. A girl newsie? I haven't seen one of those in years, and certainly not in Manhattan. "Ya sure ya heard that right, Jack? I mean a girl newsie? They're harder ta come by than us fellas. I'm not sayin' ya wrong, I just ain't seen one in these parts before. Maybe in once in Brooklyn, but not here."

"Yeah, i'm sure I heard right. Don't know much about her though. Well, except that she's a girl."

I shook my head at his attempt to be funny. "Well, I got that much, bonehead. Ya know where she's sellin"?

"I've already told ya all I know about her. She'll probably be sellin' somewhere around here. I doubt she'll walk over to Midtown. Don't worry, Race, I dont think she's gonna try and steal your spot at Sheepshead either. You gotta be outta your mind to walk that far just to sell da mornin' paper."

I grinned and said, "I guess that's why I do it. I sell betta over there than on da streets."

I had just barely gotten the words outta my mouth before Specs grabbed us and pulled us outside. "Come on fellas, before the papes are all gone. You don't wanna have ta wait for da afternoon edition. Not as easy ta sell." Well, he did have a piont.

We all walked over to the distribution center, picked on Weasel, and bought our papes. We parted ways and I started on my journey to Sheepshead, my favorite place in the world. I didn't get very far, just a couple of blocks, before I saw what Jack was talkin' about. I guess he heard right. There was that girl.