Chapter 4

Brooklyn's Here

Jack was right, it's a long hike ta Brooklyn. 'specially ta de docks where Spot an' his guys hang out all de time, no mattah what de weadah.

"State's ya's business, shorty?" A tall, broad-shouldahed kid was standin' in front a me, glarin'. ñ

"I'se heah ta see Spot Conlon. An' don't pretend's ya's don't know's what I'se talkin 'bout, I knows dat he hangs out heah, don't be tellin' me dat he ain't." I pulled myself up ta my full height an' tried ta look as mean as possible. "Come on, take me ta him, string bean."

De guy jus' grinned at me like one of those Cheshire cats an' poked me in de chest wit' a thin fingah. "Come on, ya knows dat Spot ain't ta be destoibed. So ya's bettah get outta heah before we'se has ta makes ya, kid."

"Yeah, come on, let's take him out, Charley!" Some idiot was crowin' real loud, right behind de guy.

"Some Idjuts just don't learn mannahs does ya? I has rights ta come heah, an' I needs Spot Conlon ta help de Manhattan Newsies jus' aftah de Strike. Crutchy's in trouble, an' he's hoitin' jus' 'cause of dat jerk Snydah." I didn't wanna plead wit' 'em, but I didn't wanna fight eidah.

"Charley" started poppin' his knuckles, and gestahed for some of de uddah guys ta come in closah, one of dem grabbed me by de vest an' held me down. "You'se still thinkin' dat we'se gonna listen ta dat stuff? Snydah ain't had a good job in a while, since de strike, and dey fired him. Don't know what you'se t'ink ya's doin', but we'se intends ta break ya for lyin' ta us."

I tried ta punch him in de face, strugglin' 'gainst the goons dat held me down. "I'se not lyin'! Crutchy really is in de Refuge, an' who's ta say dat Snydah didn't come back in favah, huh?!" I stopped talkin' when some losah punched me in the mouth.

"Hey Charley, if ya likes ta pick on uddah newsies, try ta pick on one ya own size, huh?" Spot's steely voice was comin' from behind the jerk, an' from what I could see, he looked real upset. His eyes narrowed when he recognized me.

"What're ya doin' heah, Race? Ya got my guys all riled, an' jus' made my job a whole heck hardah. I'se has half a mind ta dunk ya's fa upsettin' de delicate internal balance. What's goin' on?" He glared at me, and stuck his pimp cane back in his belt.

I shrugged the uddah boy's hands offa my shouldahs. "Jus' dat Crutchy's back in de Refuges bad shape by de time we get's ta him, but he was doin' ok when I saw him last. Snydah may have an opinion on dat in de next hour t'ough, if I have any guess."

Spot sighed. "Dis crip is gonna be de death a me, but we'se gonna do it for Jackie boy." He climbed on ta one of de crane scaffolds an' held his pimp cane up in de air. "Hey ya idjuts, this is what I say. Ol' Jackie boy an' his friend's is hoitin' again, is we gonna go slummin' 'gain or what, huh?"

Der was resoundin' cheer dat came up from de newsies surroundin' me, an' I sent up a cheer meself, jus' for good luck.

"Den go on an' collect ya's gear. Racetrack an' I wills be waitin' fer ya's outside de Refuge gate wit' de Cowboy." He toined back ta me. "Ya said dat Jack is till der, ain't he? Wouldn't leave de gimp for one sec would he?"

I shooks me head. "Naw, not Jackie boy. Snydah was beatin' poor Crutch ta a pulp when I left. I'se pretty coitin dat Jack is comfortin' him right now, we'se jus' bettah hurry, Cowboy mighta done somet'in real bad by now, an' got himself caught."