It didn't take long to reach the refuge. They snuck around the back and climbed the ladder up to the roof. From there one of Spot's newsies uncoiled the rope he'd been put in charge of carrying. He gave one end to Spot, who tied it around him. With a few newsies holding the other end they lowered him over the edge. He reached the top window and told them to stop. He knocked on the window and waited. Finally a young boy opened the window.
"Spot, whadda you'se doing 'ere?"
"Let me in Wrench." The boy stood back and Spot crawled in. he untied the rope. "Where's da new boy?" Wrench picked open the door and let Spot out.
"Down the hall and right. He's in da second room."
"Thanks Wrench. Wait here. I'm gonna bring him back and get him out through your window."
Spot walked quietly through the hallway. He found Mush's room easily enough. He turned the handle. It wasn't locked. He figured it must be kept locked from the inside. Mush was sitting on a bed in the corner. He looked up and smiled with he saw Spot.
"Spot!"
"Ssh!" Spot told him. He didn't want to wake the warden up. "Follow me."
Mush got up and followed Spot. They got back to Wrench's room. Spot tied the rope around Mush and pulled twice. That told the others to start pulling. They pulled Mush up and then lowered the rope again fro Spot. He tied it, thanked Wrench, and pulled twice. They hoisted him up. When he was back on the roof he saw Mush hugging Crack. He helped his newsie roll up the rope and told everyone to start climbing down the ladder.
"The warden may be sleeping but we should still get outta here quick," Spot told them. They climbed down the ladder, Jack in the lead and Spot at the end. Spot led the group away from the refuge. While they were walking, Jack started questioning Spot.
"So Spot, how come there's no bars on da windows like there are at out refuge?"
"The only rooms with no bars are the single rooms. They're all on the third story and there's no way to climb down the walls without falling. The kids don't have rope and they only get on blanket so that won't do much good either. The warden just takes the money for himself."
"I guess dat makes sense." They were close to the lodging house when they saw a group of people blocking their way out of the alley.
"Who's there?" Spot called out.
"It's the Delancey brudders," Jack told him. They had stepped into the light so Jack's crew would recognize them. "They got some buddies with them."
"We knew you'd try to get Mush out," Oscar said, "so it was easy to find you. But you had no right to take our sister from us Cowboy."
"She doesn't belong to you'se," Mush told them. "We take better care of her."
"And what kind of brudders lock their sister in a basement?" Jack asked.
"We're her brudders so we have da right to treat her any way we want," Oscar said. "We're here to take her back. Now hand her over."
"I ain't goin' nowhere with you," Crack told Oscar.
Oscar, Morris, and their buddies started moving forward. There were seven, including the Delancey's. The newsies numbered ten. Mush's only concern was Crack. He was holding her behind him, preparing for the Delancey's attack. Jack was looking a little worried because the Delancey's had weapons. The only had the rope they'd used to get Mush out.
"jack, take your newsies and get outta here," Spot said.
"but you'll be outnumbered, and they got weapons."
"Dis is my territory and I'm tellin' you to leave."
"But—"
"Scram!"
Jack nodded. He grabbed the others and pushed them back behind Spot's newsies. While they ran the others blocked the Delancey's gang. They could hear sounds of fighting until they turned the corner. They found their way through the alleys and went back to their own lodging house. Kid Blink and Racetrack questioned Jack while Mush and Crack sat on the couch and caught their breath.
"Why'd we leave 'em there Jack?" Kid Blink was asking. "Without us they're outnumbered. We could've helped them fight the Delancey's off. I would've enjoyed getting a few hits at the Delancey's myself. Sorry," he added, looking at Crack. She waved her hand to say she didn't mind. She wouldn't have minded getting a few hits at her brothers too.
"We left cause Spot wanted us to. It's his territory and he has the right to defend it with his newsies alone. Besides, when has a Brooklyn newsie ever been beaten in a fight?"
"We should check on them tomorrow to make sure they're okay," Mush said. They agreed to visit Spot the next day and to go to bed immediately.