Hey Good Lookin'
"Hi Mr. Weasel. Twenty please" Julie greeted happily - standing on tiptoe and placing her money on the office desk. Weasel winced. He couldn't stand the little girl's constant happiness.
"Twenty for Julie" he shouted over his shoulder. She stared at him with the biggest smile on her face. Weasel tried looking away from her, but the little girl was too intimidating. Morris put Twenty papes on the desk, and Weasel handed them down to Julie.
"Thank you" she said skipping off. Her grin widened as she walked off. She loved intimidating Weasel. Julie walked out into the square where she met her usual selling partners - Snipeshooter, Les, Slider, and Boots.
She'd convinced Jack that she'd be all right without him especially if the boys were with her. The four boys had all become best friends with Julie ever since she turned eight. It had almost been a year since Jack found her in the alleyway. The four boys had all taken a shining to her.
The lodging house was growing with girls. There was now six girls living there including her. Besides Julie, Tillie, and four new girls - Daisy, Clam, Crab, and Illusion. Clam and Crab were twin sisters. One was as feisty as a crab, and one was as shy as a clam. Illusion use to be a magician's helper. Kloppman had decide to convert the storage room into a girls' bunk room. Everyday after eating at Tibby's, some of the boys and the girls would go back to the lodging house to fix it up.
Julie joined her friends who were goofing off near the Horace Greenly. Les was looking in the paper which was a first. "Hey guys! Look at dis" Les said. All the boys and Julie circled around Les. "Dere's gonna be an automobile show in Madison Square Gardens."
"Automobile? Wha's dat?" Slider asked, confused, looking up at Les.
"Its a horseless carriage" he replied.
"Yeah, Slider. Haven' ya evah hoid a one before?" Snipeshooter asked, pushing Slider's shoulder.
Slider shook his head honestly.
"Ise say lets go see dese automobiles" Julie suggested.
Boots shook his head. "Naw. Dey won' let us go." He was referring to the older newsies.
Snipes grinned mischievously. "Who's says wese gotta tell dem wese goin'?"
Julie glanced over at Snipes. She could tell his mind was cooking up something big.
"But, Snipes…"
"No buts Jules" he cut her off. She was the conscience of the group. Girls always are. "Ise goin'. Who's goin' wit me?" The kids were quiet for a moment. "Well?"
"I'll go" Les spoke up.
"Me too" came from Slider.
"Me three" Boots said last.
All eyes fell on Julie. She stared at them knowing she was going to regret her answer.
"All right. I'll go too."
"Den it's settled" Snipes said clasping his hands together. "Wese all goin' ta da Automobile Show aftah sellin' papes."
The group nodded, picking up their papers off the ground and walking to their favorite selling spot in Central Park.
~*~
It was mid-afternoon. Most of the newsies were at Tibby's, but had already finished eating and heading back to the lodging house together. Jack noticed the youngest of the gang didn't show at the restaurant as they usually did. He shrugged, and put it in the back of his mind thinking they were out playing in the park or something. When they arrived at the lodging house, the boys started pushing the bunks into the room with the girls supervising.
"Awroight, push dat bed over dere by da window. But, don' covah da window" Tillie directed. Jack, Mush, Blink, and Skittery hauled the heavy wooden bunk into the room while Snoddy, Pie Eater, Dutchy, and Specs were bringing another bunk into the room.
"Watch the wall! Watch the wall!" Crab yelled at them. The bunk brush against the door frame almost taking out half the wall. Specs put down his side of the bed. "Well, if ya would give bettah directions, wese wouldn' be goin' inta da wall."
Crab's face darkened. The two were fixing to jump down each others' throats when Jack broke up a "close to" fight.
"Hey! Youse two stop it! Wese not heah ta fight. Solve ya differences elsewheres" he said stepping in-between them. He turned to Crab. "Crab, take a cool off 'er sumpthin'. Tillie take ovah."
Crab looked at him surprised. She was about to protest when Skittery grabbed her arm.
"C'mon. Let's go outside an' take a break." Her mouth twisted, but she let herself be towed outside by Skittery.
The boys proceeded to move the beds. They got all of the bunks moved in which wasn't very many. Blink started to nail something up above the door.
Tillie and Jack looked out to see what he was doing.
"Wha's dat?" Tillie spoke first.
"Its a sign. Can' ya see dat?" Blink said with a nail hanging out the side of his mouth.
Jack went out into the hallway to get a better look at the sign. A large smirk came across his face when he read what it said. Tillie saw that, and went out into the hallway herself. She read the sign as her mouth quickly became agaped. Blink jumped off his stool, and stood back to admirer his work.
"Whatcha think?" he asked, mainly to Jack.
"It shoa is da truth" he replied glancing at Tillie. "Wha' you think, Tillie?"
"I can' believe ya made it" she hollered, hitting Blink on the shoulder and stomping back into the new girls' bunk room.
Jack and Blink exchanged looks. Jack laughed. "She'll get usta it." He followed Tillie.
Blink stared at his sign for another few seconds. It was made out of old, drift wood he found in the harbor, and the sign contained the words "Heaven Inside" painted on it.
~*~
The kids walked over to Madison Square Gardens. Amazed looks fell upon their faces when they saw dozens of automobiles parked in never ending rows, and some were being drove around a track. There were mostly just business men in suits surveying the cars. Some women were there with their husbands.
"Dis is unreal" Slider said first. They moved into the first tow row of cars.
"McKay Automobile Steamers" Snipes read on a sign. "A streamer? Wha's dat?"
He looked at the others. No one was there. They'd all scattered in different directions. He shrugged and went to go explore. They all ended up in the same area when a crowd started to gather around a driving track.
Boots leaned toward Snipeshooter "Wha' are dey gonna do, Snipes?"
He shrugged. "I don' know."
A tall man with a black suit and bowler stepped up onto a crate. Everyone's attention turned to him.
"Good afternoon, good people. I am Alexander Winton I have come all the way from Cleveland, Ohio to bring you this. My gasoline powered automobile, The Winton. It is faster than the streamers - going a cool twelve miles an hours. That means this baby can go fast and I mean, fast!" The crowded awed when he mentioned the mileage. "I want to give a demonstration. Stay there and you'll see the amazing works of gasoline."
The man hopped off the crate and slipped into the car near him. He did something no one could see. All the sudden, a loud cranking sound.
The kids covered their ears because it was so course. Everyone in the crowd moved back in fear when the car began to circle around the track. The kids stared at with agaped mouths. It was a first for them.
They watched intently as the automobile rounded the track than parked.
People stared at the car for a while asking the inventor questions. The stayed in the back of the crowd. Snipes looked around and spotted some cars that had no one around. A mischievous grin came upon his face again. He nudged Boots, and nodded over to the cars. Boots shook his head.
"Oh, c'mon. We won' get caught" Snipes whispered. He pushed Slider. "Ya comin'?"
Slider just nodded slightly. Les agreed he was in as well. They turned to Julie, who found herself in the same situation as earlier. She stood there for a second wondering what they were doing - but realized quickly when she figured out what they were fixing to do.
"Oh…no…no, no, no" she said, backing away.
Snipes advanced on her. "Come on, Jules. Ya not afraidy cat, are ya?"
"No, I just don't want to get in trouble."
"Wha' are ya? A suck up princess?!" Julie's expression changed quickly. She slapped Snipes in the shoulder. "I am not! I'll prove it."
She started walking over to an unoccupied car with the four boys following her. They slipped underneath the rope, and Snipeshooter got in the driver's seat with Julie sitting next to him. Les, Boots, and Slider crawled into the back - with a tight squeeze.
"Now, I think the guy turned this and pulled this back." He imitated the man who drove the car a few minutes earlier. The engine roared, and Snipes accidentally pushed in the excellirator. The car suddenly rolled out of the parking area where it was. People around began to panic.
"Snipes, what are you doing?!" Julie yelled, holding on to him for dear life.
"I don' know!" he replied, turning the wheel - making the car turn out of Madison Square Gardens. People jumped out of the way of the on coming automobile. "Get off me, Julie. Ise tryin' ta control dis thing!"
The three in the back were acting almost as frightened as Julie. Boots turned his head to look out the oval back window. "Oh, no. Snipes, da bulls are chasin' us!"
"Wha'? Dey won' catch us. Dis thing can go twelve miles an hour." He had no idea what that meant, but when the man said it, the crowd awed and it sounded good.
A few seconds later, a police officer came running up to the car, and jogged beside it.
"Stop this thing, right now!" he shouted.
The kids slumped their heads. Some people on the street started laughing. It made them even more embarrassed especially Snipeshooter.
~*~
The kids were taken to the police station. They were escorted into a room. A lanky man in a black suit came in a moment later. He sat down not even looking at the kids. After an awkward several minutes, he finally looked up at them.
"So, you stole an automobile?" he said, mockingly.
The group glanced at each other then down at the floor, nodding.
"My name is Mr. Anderson. Do any of you have parents?"
Les raised his hand. "I do, sir."
"Good. Go out that door. The policeman will know what to do."
Les walked out leaving the others with pleading eyes. Julie thought fast while the man waited for Les to leave.
"Sir" she spoke up. The man looked straight into her face.
"Yes."
"I have someone who can speak for us."
"Who?"
The kids sank from his sharp reply.
"Jack Kelly. He watches over us. He's kind a like our big brother" Julie replied, having a sudden interest for the floor. "And there's Kloppman, who runs the lodging house we live at."
"All right." The man stood up and straightened his papers that were set on the table. "Little girl…"
The only female of the group raised her head. "Julie."
"Yeah, yeah…come with me. The rest of you, stay here. A guard will be here soon to take you to the House of Refuge." He gripped Julie's shoulder as he was fixing to walk out.
"What?! We're goin' ta da refuge!" Snipeshooter shouted, looking not pleased.
"You should of thought before you acted." It came out so cold and harsh.
Mr. Anderson lead Julie out the room leaving the other three to brood.
~*~
A police officer dragged Julie back to the lodging house. She frowned the entire time, knowing that Kloppman and especially Jack wasn't going to be pleased with this.
The door to the Newsboys Lodging house opened and a tall officer stepped in with a tiny little girl attached to his hand. Kloppman peered up from his books. When he saw Julie - the house's little princess - he winced.
"Can I help you, sir?" he asked.
"Yes, you can. Does this belong to you?" The officer raised Julie's collar up. She looked up at Kloppman putting on her most innocent face.
Kloppman stratched his chin. "Depends on what she did."
Julie's mouth fell open. I thought he was suppose to protect his tenets? She thought.
Just then, Jack came through the door with Davey - still unaware of what the kids had did that. He froze when he saw the police officer, but caught sight of Julie before he could take off.
"What's going on?" Davey asked first.
"This young lady and a few of her little friends stole an automobile from Madison Square Gardens today."
Jack groaned as Davey realized that Les was in that group of 'little friends'.
"What about the other kids that were with her?" he asked, becoming frantic.
"They are still at the station about to be taken to the refuge, but one said he had parents and was taken home."
With that, Davey ran out the door to his apartment. Jack stared down at Julie who now wore a cracked smile. She knew she going to get it.
"Now, does this girl belong to anyone?" the officer repeated.
"Yeah. She belongs ta me." Jack took Julie away from the officer and picked her up.
Kloppman spoke up. "What are you going to do with the others, sir?"
"They will have a trial tomorrow. We'll see how long the judge gives them. Keep an eye on that girl. She might not get off this easy next time."
"I will officer" Jack said, putting Julie down.
The officer walked out, leaving Julie as fresh meat. Julie keep her head down, knowing what was going to come next. Jack was quiet for several minutes.
"All roight, Princess, stop bein' such a shoe gazer." He crossed his arms as Julie peered up. "Explain ta me wha' happen."
The tiny girl sighed, and began to tell Jack everything about what happen at the automobile show and how they "borrowed" one. Jack was shaking his head, disappointed in his younger newsies. He knew he wasn't the best role model for them, but even Jack Kelly wouldn't steal an automobile.
"Looks like wese gonna have ta set up a break out mission."
Kloppman, who was in his room, fell on deaf ear when he heard something about break out. He understood his boys (and girls), but didn't want to get involved with legal situations - only when he had too.
Jack and Julie headed over to Tibbys. Most of everyone was there. They trekked over to Tillie and Spot's table. They noticed his angry expression right away.
"Wha's goin' on, Jacky'boy?" Spot asked.
"Wese gotta do a break out tanight" Jack replied, sitting down. Julie sat down next to him.
Tillie put down her fork. "Who got caught?"
"Our little ones - Snipes, Slider, Boots. Les got taken home, and Jules heah was brought ta da lodgin' house since she's jist a little goil. Ise surprised dey even tolerate wit da little goils."
"Ya want me ta go round up a rescue party?" Tillie offered.
Jack shook his head, and Tillie slipped out of the booth, over to the table across the room.
"So, Princess" Spot directed his attention to Julie. "Wha'd youse kids do?"
She cringed. If Jack was bad for tearing into her, Spot was even worst. She told him everything and finished just as Tillie was making her way back to the table with Mush, Blink, and Illusion in tow.
"Okay. Ise rounded 'em up. When wese gonna go?"
"Wha'd da little ones do, Jack?" Blink asked.
"I'll 'plain latah. Wese gotta get busy. Racetrack!"
Race turned his head away from Daisy to answer Jack. "Yeah, Cowboy?"
"I want youse an' Daisy ta watch Jules fer me."
"Jack! I wanna go too!" Julie slapped her feet against the side of the booth.
"Sorry, Jules. Youse gotta stay heah." He bent toward her. "Da Refuge isn' a place fer a little goil."
Julie did her pouting and folding of arms, but Jack knew better. He slid her out of the booth, and handed her over to Race.
"C'mon, Jules. Let's go see da horses" Race said, putting her down.
Daisy walked up to them. "Yeah, Julie. I can sneak ya inta da back where you can see the horses up close." Daisy use to work at the stables at the Sheepshed Races before she became a newsie.
Julie pouted a little more, staring up at Jack with puppy dog eyes. He shook his head 'no', and she gave in. "Okay, but I wanna get to pet one" she informed.
Daisy and Race started walking Julie out when Race stopped in front of Jack. "Y'know, dat goil is so spoiled now, Ise beginning ta think dat she is da Princess of Manhattan." They both glanced out the window to look at Julie.
"But, ya gotta love 'er." Jack added.
Race laughed. "Who couldn' love our little Jules?"
~*~
The group of six tiptoed into the gates of the House of Refuge. Jack wearing not a pleasant expression. They split up when they entered the gate - Jack and Illusion sneaking inside the refuge and the rest climbing up on the roof. Jack and Illusion silently snuck into Warden Synder's office. Yes, he weaseled his way out of going to jail.
"Where do you think he keeps the keys?" Illusion whispered, staring around the dim room.
"I think in…" Jack walked to the desk in the room and opened the bottom drawer. A pair of keys fell out into Jack's hand. Illusion stared at him in shock.
"How the heck did you know where those keys were?" she asked, as they trudged up the stairs to the first jail cell.
He shrugged. "I been heah a couple times."
Illusion looked at him bemused, but they had already made it to the jail cell before she could remark. Jack placed the key in the lock and turned it. The boys on the inside all fell silent to the familiar sound. When they saw Cowboy though, smiles fell on their face.
"Heya Cowboy" came a round of greetings.
"Heya fellas" he called back.
Illusion walked in behind him. She receive an even more enthusiastic greeting.
"Who's the fox?" Ten pin asked.
"Shuddup, Tin pin. Wese gotta get outta heah. Where's da new kids?"
"Ovah dere."
Jack walked to the corner where he found Snipes, Slider, and Boots in a clump on the bed. Jack glared down at Snipeshooter real hard.
"So, ya thought ya'd jist go fer a short ride, huh?"
Snipes looked everywhere except at Jack's face.
"I…I wasn' stealin' it. I jist wanted ta drive it."
"Jist wanted ta drive it" Jack muttered. He turned his attention to Boots. "An' you. Yer da oldest of dis little group youse kids got goin' on? Yer da responsible one, Boots. Wha' ya got ta say fer yaself?"
"Uh…." was all that came from Boots.
" 'Nough a dis. Wese gotta get outta heah 'fore Syndah drops by."
Jack went to the window, and pulled the rope that Blink and Mush was holding, into the window. Illusion had somehow taken the bars off of it. Jack got the smallest of the boys in the room to climb up the rope. The older ones followed Illusion out to the gate below. After several minutes, all the boys had escape successfully from the 'bunk room'. Jack was fixing to climb up to the roof when Snyder appeared at the door.
"Sullivan" he murmured, with an evil look in his eye. He was about to blow his whistle when Jack slammed the door shut in his face. He quickly climbed up the rope, and onto the roof. Spot and Tillie were waiting fro him.
"Geez, what took ya so long, Jacky-boy?" Spot asked, running beside him to the lower roof - where they could jump off the building.
"Sydah! He knows wese been heah" Jack replied, already out of breath.
Tillie looked at him in shock. "What?! He's coming after us."
Jack nodded his head. They reached the lower roof. Jack and Spot jumped first, helping Tillie get down. They run to the end of that roof, and finally made it down without trouble. They could hear Synder screaming from a far. The police would be there soon. The trio made it out of the gates of the Refuge just in time before it closed. They ran soon more till they were too exhausted to go no any farther. Jack leaned against a building, huffing and puffing. Tillie slipped down to the ground, trying to regain her bearings. Spot sat down next to her, rubbing her back.
"Ya okay, Tillie?" he asked. She shook her head, not saying a word.
Jack looked down at them, exhausted. "Where'd all da othahs go? We shoulda caught up wit dem by now."
"Dey're probably somewheres 'round heah" Spot replied.
Jack took that answer, and started to walk away from them in the direction of the lodging house. Spot helped Tillie up, following Jack. There was only one thing on Jack's mind - how he was going to punish his younger newsies.
~*~
Jack walked into the bunk room of the lodging house. He sternly glared at his younger newsies who were all sitting on one bed awaiting Jack's wrath. He stepped up him, shaking his head in disgust. Everyone in the room left making the room was silent for a while. The younger newsies cringed when Jack finally spoke.
"I can' believe youse guys" he said, staring down at the floor. He glanced up at them. "I thought ya knew bettah den dat! No, wait, ya did know bettah den dat. Ya jist didn' care!"
Julie stood up. "We're sorry, Jack! We really are!"
Jack snorted. "Sit down, Julie. I'm not through yet."
Julie sat down sheepishly. The three boys looked her mouthing 'be quiet'. Jack started his lecture again.
"Ise really disappointed in youse guys. Dat's why…" He knew this was going to hurt them, but it needed to be done. "Youse guys can' sell together, eat together, 'er play together till I say ya can - which might be a long time."
The kids' mouths dropped open. They did everything together. It wasn't right to split them up.
"I'm gonna get someone watch each of ya. Julie, yer wit Race. Boots, yer wit Dutchy. Slider, yer wit Bumlets, And, Snipes…" Jack stalked over to Snipeshooter and laid a firm hand on his shoulder. "…yer wit me."
Snipes cringed. This definitely wasn't going to be the funnest time in his life.
~*~
For almost a week, the five younger newsies didn't really get to talk or play with each other. They were miserable and everyone was noticing, but Jack was showing no mercy. Everyone guessed he didn't want the 'young ones' to end up like he did when he was their age. Around noon - a week after the incident - Jack walked into the lodging house with Snipes by his side. Kloppman was puttering around, and didn't notice.
"Heya Kloppy!" Jack greeted, leaning against his desk.
Kloppman looked around the corner of the room he was in. "Hey Cowboy. Whatcha need?"
"Oh, jist stopped by fer a while" he replied, glancing down at Snipes.
Snipes fidgeted. "Can I go up to the bunk room?"
Jack thought for a moment. No one was here and it was just the bunk room. "Ya sure, but jist go ta da bunk room. Not da goils. Jist da boys."
Snipes nodded and before Jack knew it, he was up the stairs in a flash. Snipes peered down the hall into the girls room then smirked. Mischievous thoughts sprang into his mind, but came to a conclusion that it would be best not to go in there. He kicked the creaky wooden boards that made the up floor, and headed to the boys' room. There was nothing to do in there if you couldn't have a little…fun. Snipes stalked over to his bed and laid down. Fidgeting, he sat up a minute later. Boredom attacking his brain.
Searching the room, Snipes eyes fell upon Racetrack's lone cigar on the night stand. He knows bettah den ta leave dat out - he thought. He smirked once again and picked it up - clinching it between his teeth. That made his happy for a while, but boredom set in.
All the sudden, the window to the fire escape opened. Snipes sat up and looked to see the 'little miss princess' climbing in.
Snipes grinned. "Hey good lookin'!"
Julie turned screaming, covering her mouth when she saw who it was. "Snipes! Don't scare me like that again!"
"Pipe down, Julie" Snipes said, walking over to her. "Whatcha doin' heah?"
Julie planted her hands on her little hips. "What are you doing here?"
"Jack is heah an' he said I could come up heah" Snipes replied, retreating back to his bed. "So, wha' you doin' heah, girl?"
Julie made a face behind Snipes's back, and walked behind him to his bed - sitting down across from him. "Race sent me here. He had to go 'meet' a date."
"But, he's 'pose ta watch ya all da time like me watch dog downstairs." Snipes gestured over his shoulder to the stairs.
"Well, he's not, so, I'm here…" Julie glanced over at Snipes, who was fiddling with Race's cigar. "…with you. Is Race's cigar?"
Snipes shrugged. "Yeah."
"He's going to kill you if he finds out you have it." Julie snatched the cigar from Snipes gripped teeth.
"Hey!" He looked taken aback. "Whatcha doin'?"
"I'm putting it back" Julie replied bluntly, placing the cigar in the cup where Race was keeping it. She turned back to Snipes. He looked like he was about to soak her.
"Ya nevah let me have fun, Jules." He said it with such innocence.
Julie rolled her eyes. Even for a seven year old, she knew better. "I feel like I'm the older one here and your the little kid."
She sat next to him. For a moment there, the two kids didn't say anything. Snipes keep glancing over at his companion; while Julie crossed her arms and stared at the bed next to them. She felt his eyes upon her, and she suddenly pushed Snipes off the bed. He fell on the floor with a loud *thud*. Julie giggled as Snipes glared up at her. He leaned against the bed, laying his arms on Julie's lap. Julie tried to push him off, but Snipes was too strong for her.
"What are you doing?"
"Dat's a very famous question in dis room roight now."
Julie threw him a disgusted look, but Snipes just laughed at her. When she couldn't get his arms off her lap, she just gave up.
"You give up so easy, Princess" Snipes said, mockingly.
Julie growled making Snipes laugh even harder. They just sat there for a while being quiet which was a shocker for the two younger newsies. No one ever came upstairs to catch them or anything.
"Y'know, I think Jack died down dere 'er maybe Kloppman killed him." He got a grin out from Julie. She looked cute to him at that moment with a couple of her front teeth missing. "Say Jules?"
"What?"
"Ya wanna be me goil?" he asked, nonchalantly.
"Huh……" Julie replied, scrunching up her nose.
"Me goil…ya wanna be it?"
Julie appeared confused. "Why?"
Snipes shrugged. "I don' know. I jist thought I'd ask."
Julie sighed. "Why not then."
"Okay." Snipes got up, peered around the room then out into the hall. "I guess wese all 'lone. Ya wanna sneak out an' go have some fun?" Julie thought for a moment. Snipes was already getting anxious. "C'mon Princess! Wese got nuttin' else ta do."
"Would ya hold ya horses?!" She swatted him. "I'm thinking."
Snipes grabbed her hand, and pulled Julie off the bed. "Wese goin'. Roight now."
"Snipes……" Julie whined, as she was dragged to the window. "I don't wanna get in trouble. We'll never get to play with each other again for the rest of eternity."
"I'll take dat risk." He smiled back at her. Julie rolled her eyes once more, and climbed out the window again.
"Hi Mr. Weasel. Twenty please" Julie greeted happily - standing on tiptoe and placing her money on the office desk. Weasel winced. He couldn't stand the little girl's constant happiness.
"Twenty for Julie" he shouted over his shoulder. She stared at him with the biggest smile on her face. Weasel tried looking away from her, but the little girl was too intimidating. Morris put Twenty papes on the desk, and Weasel handed them down to Julie.
"Thank you" she said skipping off. Her grin widened as she walked off. She loved intimidating Weasel. Julie walked out into the square where she met her usual selling partners - Snipeshooter, Les, Slider, and Boots.
She'd convinced Jack that she'd be all right without him especially if the boys were with her. The four boys had all become best friends with Julie ever since she turned eight. It had almost been a year since Jack found her in the alleyway. The four boys had all taken a shining to her.
The lodging house was growing with girls. There was now six girls living there including her. Besides Julie, Tillie, and four new girls - Daisy, Clam, Crab, and Illusion. Clam and Crab were twin sisters. One was as feisty as a crab, and one was as shy as a clam. Illusion use to be a magician's helper. Kloppman had decide to convert the storage room into a girls' bunk room. Everyday after eating at Tibby's, some of the boys and the girls would go back to the lodging house to fix it up.
Julie joined her friends who were goofing off near the Horace Greenly. Les was looking in the paper which was a first. "Hey guys! Look at dis" Les said. All the boys and Julie circled around Les. "Dere's gonna be an automobile show in Madison Square Gardens."
"Automobile? Wha's dat?" Slider asked, confused, looking up at Les.
"Its a horseless carriage" he replied.
"Yeah, Slider. Haven' ya evah hoid a one before?" Snipeshooter asked, pushing Slider's shoulder.
Slider shook his head honestly.
"Ise say lets go see dese automobiles" Julie suggested.
Boots shook his head. "Naw. Dey won' let us go." He was referring to the older newsies.
Snipes grinned mischievously. "Who's says wese gotta tell dem wese goin'?"
Julie glanced over at Snipes. She could tell his mind was cooking up something big.
"But, Snipes…"
"No buts Jules" he cut her off. She was the conscience of the group. Girls always are. "Ise goin'. Who's goin' wit me?" The kids were quiet for a moment. "Well?"
"I'll go" Les spoke up.
"Me too" came from Slider.
"Me three" Boots said last.
All eyes fell on Julie. She stared at them knowing she was going to regret her answer.
"All right. I'll go too."
"Den it's settled" Snipes said clasping his hands together. "Wese all goin' ta da Automobile Show aftah sellin' papes."
The group nodded, picking up their papers off the ground and walking to their favorite selling spot in Central Park.
~*~
It was mid-afternoon. Most of the newsies were at Tibby's, but had already finished eating and heading back to the lodging house together. Jack noticed the youngest of the gang didn't show at the restaurant as they usually did. He shrugged, and put it in the back of his mind thinking they were out playing in the park or something. When they arrived at the lodging house, the boys started pushing the bunks into the room with the girls supervising.
"Awroight, push dat bed over dere by da window. But, don' covah da window" Tillie directed. Jack, Mush, Blink, and Skittery hauled the heavy wooden bunk into the room while Snoddy, Pie Eater, Dutchy, and Specs were bringing another bunk into the room.
"Watch the wall! Watch the wall!" Crab yelled at them. The bunk brush against the door frame almost taking out half the wall. Specs put down his side of the bed. "Well, if ya would give bettah directions, wese wouldn' be goin' inta da wall."
Crab's face darkened. The two were fixing to jump down each others' throats when Jack broke up a "close to" fight.
"Hey! Youse two stop it! Wese not heah ta fight. Solve ya differences elsewheres" he said stepping in-between them. He turned to Crab. "Crab, take a cool off 'er sumpthin'. Tillie take ovah."
Crab looked at him surprised. She was about to protest when Skittery grabbed her arm.
"C'mon. Let's go outside an' take a break." Her mouth twisted, but she let herself be towed outside by Skittery.
The boys proceeded to move the beds. They got all of the bunks moved in which wasn't very many. Blink started to nail something up above the door.
Tillie and Jack looked out to see what he was doing.
"Wha's dat?" Tillie spoke first.
"Its a sign. Can' ya see dat?" Blink said with a nail hanging out the side of his mouth.
Jack went out into the hallway to get a better look at the sign. A large smirk came across his face when he read what it said. Tillie saw that, and went out into the hallway herself. She read the sign as her mouth quickly became agaped. Blink jumped off his stool, and stood back to admirer his work.
"Whatcha think?" he asked, mainly to Jack.
"It shoa is da truth" he replied glancing at Tillie. "Wha' you think, Tillie?"
"I can' believe ya made it" she hollered, hitting Blink on the shoulder and stomping back into the new girls' bunk room.
Jack and Blink exchanged looks. Jack laughed. "She'll get usta it." He followed Tillie.
Blink stared at his sign for another few seconds. It was made out of old, drift wood he found in the harbor, and the sign contained the words "Heaven Inside" painted on it.
~*~
The kids walked over to Madison Square Gardens. Amazed looks fell upon their faces when they saw dozens of automobiles parked in never ending rows, and some were being drove around a track. There were mostly just business men in suits surveying the cars. Some women were there with their husbands.
"Dis is unreal" Slider said first. They moved into the first tow row of cars.
"McKay Automobile Steamers" Snipes read on a sign. "A streamer? Wha's dat?"
He looked at the others. No one was there. They'd all scattered in different directions. He shrugged and went to go explore. They all ended up in the same area when a crowd started to gather around a driving track.
Boots leaned toward Snipeshooter "Wha' are dey gonna do, Snipes?"
He shrugged. "I don' know."
A tall man with a black suit and bowler stepped up onto a crate. Everyone's attention turned to him.
"Good afternoon, good people. I am Alexander Winton I have come all the way from Cleveland, Ohio to bring you this. My gasoline powered automobile, The Winton. It is faster than the streamers - going a cool twelve miles an hours. That means this baby can go fast and I mean, fast!" The crowded awed when he mentioned the mileage. "I want to give a demonstration. Stay there and you'll see the amazing works of gasoline."
The man hopped off the crate and slipped into the car near him. He did something no one could see. All the sudden, a loud cranking sound.
The kids covered their ears because it was so course. Everyone in the crowd moved back in fear when the car began to circle around the track. The kids stared at with agaped mouths. It was a first for them.
They watched intently as the automobile rounded the track than parked.
People stared at the car for a while asking the inventor questions. The stayed in the back of the crowd. Snipes looked around and spotted some cars that had no one around. A mischievous grin came upon his face again. He nudged Boots, and nodded over to the cars. Boots shook his head.
"Oh, c'mon. We won' get caught" Snipes whispered. He pushed Slider. "Ya comin'?"
Slider just nodded slightly. Les agreed he was in as well. They turned to Julie, who found herself in the same situation as earlier. She stood there for a second wondering what they were doing - but realized quickly when she figured out what they were fixing to do.
"Oh…no…no, no, no" she said, backing away.
Snipes advanced on her. "Come on, Jules. Ya not afraidy cat, are ya?"
"No, I just don't want to get in trouble."
"Wha' are ya? A suck up princess?!" Julie's expression changed quickly. She slapped Snipes in the shoulder. "I am not! I'll prove it."
She started walking over to an unoccupied car with the four boys following her. They slipped underneath the rope, and Snipeshooter got in the driver's seat with Julie sitting next to him. Les, Boots, and Slider crawled into the back - with a tight squeeze.
"Now, I think the guy turned this and pulled this back." He imitated the man who drove the car a few minutes earlier. The engine roared, and Snipes accidentally pushed in the excellirator. The car suddenly rolled out of the parking area where it was. People around began to panic.
"Snipes, what are you doing?!" Julie yelled, holding on to him for dear life.
"I don' know!" he replied, turning the wheel - making the car turn out of Madison Square Gardens. People jumped out of the way of the on coming automobile. "Get off me, Julie. Ise tryin' ta control dis thing!"
The three in the back were acting almost as frightened as Julie. Boots turned his head to look out the oval back window. "Oh, no. Snipes, da bulls are chasin' us!"
"Wha'? Dey won' catch us. Dis thing can go twelve miles an hour." He had no idea what that meant, but when the man said it, the crowd awed and it sounded good.
A few seconds later, a police officer came running up to the car, and jogged beside it.
"Stop this thing, right now!" he shouted.
The kids slumped their heads. Some people on the street started laughing. It made them even more embarrassed especially Snipeshooter.
~*~
The kids were taken to the police station. They were escorted into a room. A lanky man in a black suit came in a moment later. He sat down not even looking at the kids. After an awkward several minutes, he finally looked up at them.
"So, you stole an automobile?" he said, mockingly.
The group glanced at each other then down at the floor, nodding.
"My name is Mr. Anderson. Do any of you have parents?"
Les raised his hand. "I do, sir."
"Good. Go out that door. The policeman will know what to do."
Les walked out leaving the others with pleading eyes. Julie thought fast while the man waited for Les to leave.
"Sir" she spoke up. The man looked straight into her face.
"Yes."
"I have someone who can speak for us."
"Who?"
The kids sank from his sharp reply.
"Jack Kelly. He watches over us. He's kind a like our big brother" Julie replied, having a sudden interest for the floor. "And there's Kloppman, who runs the lodging house we live at."
"All right." The man stood up and straightened his papers that were set on the table. "Little girl…"
The only female of the group raised her head. "Julie."
"Yeah, yeah…come with me. The rest of you, stay here. A guard will be here soon to take you to the House of Refuge." He gripped Julie's shoulder as he was fixing to walk out.
"What?! We're goin' ta da refuge!" Snipeshooter shouted, looking not pleased.
"You should of thought before you acted." It came out so cold and harsh.
Mr. Anderson lead Julie out the room leaving the other three to brood.
~*~
A police officer dragged Julie back to the lodging house. She frowned the entire time, knowing that Kloppman and especially Jack wasn't going to be pleased with this.
The door to the Newsboys Lodging house opened and a tall officer stepped in with a tiny little girl attached to his hand. Kloppman peered up from his books. When he saw Julie - the house's little princess - he winced.
"Can I help you, sir?" he asked.
"Yes, you can. Does this belong to you?" The officer raised Julie's collar up. She looked up at Kloppman putting on her most innocent face.
Kloppman stratched his chin. "Depends on what she did."
Julie's mouth fell open. I thought he was suppose to protect his tenets? She thought.
Just then, Jack came through the door with Davey - still unaware of what the kids had did that. He froze when he saw the police officer, but caught sight of Julie before he could take off.
"What's going on?" Davey asked first.
"This young lady and a few of her little friends stole an automobile from Madison Square Gardens today."
Jack groaned as Davey realized that Les was in that group of 'little friends'.
"What about the other kids that were with her?" he asked, becoming frantic.
"They are still at the station about to be taken to the refuge, but one said he had parents and was taken home."
With that, Davey ran out the door to his apartment. Jack stared down at Julie who now wore a cracked smile. She knew she going to get it.
"Now, does this girl belong to anyone?" the officer repeated.
"Yeah. She belongs ta me." Jack took Julie away from the officer and picked her up.
Kloppman spoke up. "What are you going to do with the others, sir?"
"They will have a trial tomorrow. We'll see how long the judge gives them. Keep an eye on that girl. She might not get off this easy next time."
"I will officer" Jack said, putting Julie down.
The officer walked out, leaving Julie as fresh meat. Julie keep her head down, knowing what was going to come next. Jack was quiet for several minutes.
"All roight, Princess, stop bein' such a shoe gazer." He crossed his arms as Julie peered up. "Explain ta me wha' happen."
The tiny girl sighed, and began to tell Jack everything about what happen at the automobile show and how they "borrowed" one. Jack was shaking his head, disappointed in his younger newsies. He knew he wasn't the best role model for them, but even Jack Kelly wouldn't steal an automobile.
"Looks like wese gonna have ta set up a break out mission."
Kloppman, who was in his room, fell on deaf ear when he heard something about break out. He understood his boys (and girls), but didn't want to get involved with legal situations - only when he had too.
Jack and Julie headed over to Tibbys. Most of everyone was there. They trekked over to Tillie and Spot's table. They noticed his angry expression right away.
"Wha's goin' on, Jacky'boy?" Spot asked.
"Wese gotta do a break out tanight" Jack replied, sitting down. Julie sat down next to him.
Tillie put down her fork. "Who got caught?"
"Our little ones - Snipes, Slider, Boots. Les got taken home, and Jules heah was brought ta da lodgin' house since she's jist a little goil. Ise surprised dey even tolerate wit da little goils."
"Ya want me ta go round up a rescue party?" Tillie offered.
Jack shook his head, and Tillie slipped out of the booth, over to the table across the room.
"So, Princess" Spot directed his attention to Julie. "Wha'd youse kids do?"
She cringed. If Jack was bad for tearing into her, Spot was even worst. She told him everything and finished just as Tillie was making her way back to the table with Mush, Blink, and Illusion in tow.
"Okay. Ise rounded 'em up. When wese gonna go?"
"Wha'd da little ones do, Jack?" Blink asked.
"I'll 'plain latah. Wese gotta get busy. Racetrack!"
Race turned his head away from Daisy to answer Jack. "Yeah, Cowboy?"
"I want youse an' Daisy ta watch Jules fer me."
"Jack! I wanna go too!" Julie slapped her feet against the side of the booth.
"Sorry, Jules. Youse gotta stay heah." He bent toward her. "Da Refuge isn' a place fer a little goil."
Julie did her pouting and folding of arms, but Jack knew better. He slid her out of the booth, and handed her over to Race.
"C'mon, Jules. Let's go see da horses" Race said, putting her down.
Daisy walked up to them. "Yeah, Julie. I can sneak ya inta da back where you can see the horses up close." Daisy use to work at the stables at the Sheepshed Races before she became a newsie.
Julie pouted a little more, staring up at Jack with puppy dog eyes. He shook his head 'no', and she gave in. "Okay, but I wanna get to pet one" she informed.
Daisy and Race started walking Julie out when Race stopped in front of Jack. "Y'know, dat goil is so spoiled now, Ise beginning ta think dat she is da Princess of Manhattan." They both glanced out the window to look at Julie.
"But, ya gotta love 'er." Jack added.
Race laughed. "Who couldn' love our little Jules?"
~*~
The group of six tiptoed into the gates of the House of Refuge. Jack wearing not a pleasant expression. They split up when they entered the gate - Jack and Illusion sneaking inside the refuge and the rest climbing up on the roof. Jack and Illusion silently snuck into Warden Synder's office. Yes, he weaseled his way out of going to jail.
"Where do you think he keeps the keys?" Illusion whispered, staring around the dim room.
"I think in…" Jack walked to the desk in the room and opened the bottom drawer. A pair of keys fell out into Jack's hand. Illusion stared at him in shock.
"How the heck did you know where those keys were?" she asked, as they trudged up the stairs to the first jail cell.
He shrugged. "I been heah a couple times."
Illusion looked at him bemused, but they had already made it to the jail cell before she could remark. Jack placed the key in the lock and turned it. The boys on the inside all fell silent to the familiar sound. When they saw Cowboy though, smiles fell on their face.
"Heya Cowboy" came a round of greetings.
"Heya fellas" he called back.
Illusion walked in behind him. She receive an even more enthusiastic greeting.
"Who's the fox?" Ten pin asked.
"Shuddup, Tin pin. Wese gotta get outta heah. Where's da new kids?"
"Ovah dere."
Jack walked to the corner where he found Snipes, Slider, and Boots in a clump on the bed. Jack glared down at Snipeshooter real hard.
"So, ya thought ya'd jist go fer a short ride, huh?"
Snipes looked everywhere except at Jack's face.
"I…I wasn' stealin' it. I jist wanted ta drive it."
"Jist wanted ta drive it" Jack muttered. He turned his attention to Boots. "An' you. Yer da oldest of dis little group youse kids got goin' on? Yer da responsible one, Boots. Wha' ya got ta say fer yaself?"
"Uh…." was all that came from Boots.
" 'Nough a dis. Wese gotta get outta heah 'fore Syndah drops by."
Jack went to the window, and pulled the rope that Blink and Mush was holding, into the window. Illusion had somehow taken the bars off of it. Jack got the smallest of the boys in the room to climb up the rope. The older ones followed Illusion out to the gate below. After several minutes, all the boys had escape successfully from the 'bunk room'. Jack was fixing to climb up to the roof when Snyder appeared at the door.
"Sullivan" he murmured, with an evil look in his eye. He was about to blow his whistle when Jack slammed the door shut in his face. He quickly climbed up the rope, and onto the roof. Spot and Tillie were waiting fro him.
"Geez, what took ya so long, Jacky-boy?" Spot asked, running beside him to the lower roof - where they could jump off the building.
"Sydah! He knows wese been heah" Jack replied, already out of breath.
Tillie looked at him in shock. "What?! He's coming after us."
Jack nodded his head. They reached the lower roof. Jack and Spot jumped first, helping Tillie get down. They run to the end of that roof, and finally made it down without trouble. They could hear Synder screaming from a far. The police would be there soon. The trio made it out of the gates of the Refuge just in time before it closed. They ran soon more till they were too exhausted to go no any farther. Jack leaned against a building, huffing and puffing. Tillie slipped down to the ground, trying to regain her bearings. Spot sat down next to her, rubbing her back.
"Ya okay, Tillie?" he asked. She shook her head, not saying a word.
Jack looked down at them, exhausted. "Where'd all da othahs go? We shoulda caught up wit dem by now."
"Dey're probably somewheres 'round heah" Spot replied.
Jack took that answer, and started to walk away from them in the direction of the lodging house. Spot helped Tillie up, following Jack. There was only one thing on Jack's mind - how he was going to punish his younger newsies.
~*~
Jack walked into the bunk room of the lodging house. He sternly glared at his younger newsies who were all sitting on one bed awaiting Jack's wrath. He stepped up him, shaking his head in disgust. Everyone in the room left making the room was silent for a while. The younger newsies cringed when Jack finally spoke.
"I can' believe youse guys" he said, staring down at the floor. He glanced up at them. "I thought ya knew bettah den dat! No, wait, ya did know bettah den dat. Ya jist didn' care!"
Julie stood up. "We're sorry, Jack! We really are!"
Jack snorted. "Sit down, Julie. I'm not through yet."
Julie sat down sheepishly. The three boys looked her mouthing 'be quiet'. Jack started his lecture again.
"Ise really disappointed in youse guys. Dat's why…" He knew this was going to hurt them, but it needed to be done. "Youse guys can' sell together, eat together, 'er play together till I say ya can - which might be a long time."
The kids' mouths dropped open. They did everything together. It wasn't right to split them up.
"I'm gonna get someone watch each of ya. Julie, yer wit Race. Boots, yer wit Dutchy. Slider, yer wit Bumlets, And, Snipes…" Jack stalked over to Snipeshooter and laid a firm hand on his shoulder. "…yer wit me."
Snipes cringed. This definitely wasn't going to be the funnest time in his life.
~*~
For almost a week, the five younger newsies didn't really get to talk or play with each other. They were miserable and everyone was noticing, but Jack was showing no mercy. Everyone guessed he didn't want the 'young ones' to end up like he did when he was their age. Around noon - a week after the incident - Jack walked into the lodging house with Snipes by his side. Kloppman was puttering around, and didn't notice.
"Heya Kloppy!" Jack greeted, leaning against his desk.
Kloppman looked around the corner of the room he was in. "Hey Cowboy. Whatcha need?"
"Oh, jist stopped by fer a while" he replied, glancing down at Snipes.
Snipes fidgeted. "Can I go up to the bunk room?"
Jack thought for a moment. No one was here and it was just the bunk room. "Ya sure, but jist go ta da bunk room. Not da goils. Jist da boys."
Snipes nodded and before Jack knew it, he was up the stairs in a flash. Snipes peered down the hall into the girls room then smirked. Mischievous thoughts sprang into his mind, but came to a conclusion that it would be best not to go in there. He kicked the creaky wooden boards that made the up floor, and headed to the boys' room. There was nothing to do in there if you couldn't have a little…fun. Snipes stalked over to his bed and laid down. Fidgeting, he sat up a minute later. Boredom attacking his brain.
Searching the room, Snipes eyes fell upon Racetrack's lone cigar on the night stand. He knows bettah den ta leave dat out - he thought. He smirked once again and picked it up - clinching it between his teeth. That made his happy for a while, but boredom set in.
All the sudden, the window to the fire escape opened. Snipes sat up and looked to see the 'little miss princess' climbing in.
Snipes grinned. "Hey good lookin'!"
Julie turned screaming, covering her mouth when she saw who it was. "Snipes! Don't scare me like that again!"
"Pipe down, Julie" Snipes said, walking over to her. "Whatcha doin' heah?"
Julie planted her hands on her little hips. "What are you doing here?"
"Jack is heah an' he said I could come up heah" Snipes replied, retreating back to his bed. "So, wha' you doin' heah, girl?"
Julie made a face behind Snipes's back, and walked behind him to his bed - sitting down across from him. "Race sent me here. He had to go 'meet' a date."
"But, he's 'pose ta watch ya all da time like me watch dog downstairs." Snipes gestured over his shoulder to the stairs.
"Well, he's not, so, I'm here…" Julie glanced over at Snipes, who was fiddling with Race's cigar. "…with you. Is Race's cigar?"
Snipes shrugged. "Yeah."
"He's going to kill you if he finds out you have it." Julie snatched the cigar from Snipes gripped teeth.
"Hey!" He looked taken aback. "Whatcha doin'?"
"I'm putting it back" Julie replied bluntly, placing the cigar in the cup where Race was keeping it. She turned back to Snipes. He looked like he was about to soak her.
"Ya nevah let me have fun, Jules." He said it with such innocence.
Julie rolled her eyes. Even for a seven year old, she knew better. "I feel like I'm the older one here and your the little kid."
She sat next to him. For a moment there, the two kids didn't say anything. Snipes keep glancing over at his companion; while Julie crossed her arms and stared at the bed next to them. She felt his eyes upon her, and she suddenly pushed Snipes off the bed. He fell on the floor with a loud *thud*. Julie giggled as Snipes glared up at her. He leaned against the bed, laying his arms on Julie's lap. Julie tried to push him off, but Snipes was too strong for her.
"What are you doing?"
"Dat's a very famous question in dis room roight now."
Julie threw him a disgusted look, but Snipes just laughed at her. When she couldn't get his arms off her lap, she just gave up.
"You give up so easy, Princess" Snipes said, mockingly.
Julie growled making Snipes laugh even harder. They just sat there for a while being quiet which was a shocker for the two younger newsies. No one ever came upstairs to catch them or anything.
"Y'know, I think Jack died down dere 'er maybe Kloppman killed him." He got a grin out from Julie. She looked cute to him at that moment with a couple of her front teeth missing. "Say Jules?"
"What?"
"Ya wanna be me goil?" he asked, nonchalantly.
"Huh……" Julie replied, scrunching up her nose.
"Me goil…ya wanna be it?"
Julie appeared confused. "Why?"
Snipes shrugged. "I don' know. I jist thought I'd ask."
Julie sighed. "Why not then."
"Okay." Snipes got up, peered around the room then out into the hall. "I guess wese all 'lone. Ya wanna sneak out an' go have some fun?" Julie thought for a moment. Snipes was already getting anxious. "C'mon Princess! Wese got nuttin' else ta do."
"Would ya hold ya horses?!" She swatted him. "I'm thinking."
Snipes grabbed her hand, and pulled Julie off the bed. "Wese goin'. Roight now."
"Snipes……" Julie whined, as she was dragged to the window. "I don't wanna get in trouble. We'll never get to play with each other again for the rest of eternity."
"I'll take dat risk." He smiled back at her. Julie rolled her eyes once more, and climbed out the window again.