Thank you Kim for reviewing the first chapter!

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The air had shifted quickly in New York. It seemed like fall had just begun when winter had started to take over. Although the air was getting brisk, the boys could tell changes were happening. It did not help that Racetrack came in every Saturday night talking about possible turf wars between Queens and Brooklyn. One week someone from Queens had stabbed Spot, but the next week everything was fine again. Dutchy and the other boys worried that other newsies would try to come in and take over, but the threats of that happening to other boroughs seemed empty. To Dutchy it seemed like as soon as they all got back to normal and carefree something would happen to rile everyone up again and put them all on edge.

Since everyone was on edge all the time a lot of the boys decided to hang near the lodging house after they were done selling. Dutchy saw this as a good opportunity to practice reading more and help Kloppman around the house. Specs would often assist him with chores that Kloppman assigned. Dutchy would practice reading while Specs began to sweep the floors and when Dutchy was done, he would help Specs finish cleaning and organizing everything.

Before Specs went upstairs for the night he handed five cents to Kloppman who put out his hand.

"No need son, you've been helping me out a lot around here."

Specs smile. "Well gee Dutchy, if ya told me you were getting' free rent I would've helped a long time ago."

Kloppman laughed a little. "Well let's keep that between us eh?"

Dutchy smiled and began up the stairs. "Night Kloppman!"

"Night boys."

The next day the boys set out like always to sell their papers. Specs and Dutchy were continuing their schemes when they came across an Asian boy in the street with a small crowd around him. He was running a shell game and by the looks of it he was stumping the crowd. Specs and Dutchy walked over; both watching carefully.

The boy smiled. "Hey, boys. Wanna try your hands at dis?" He shuffled the shells around.

Specs eyed the shells. "Sure." He put down two cents.

The boy nodded and showed specs the marble underneath the walnut shell, he then put the shell over it and shuffled the shells back and forth. Specs and Dutchy watched and when the boy was done that had both agreed the marble was under the third shell. Specs pointed to it.

"Oh, sorry." The boy lifted up the shell to reveal nothing underneath.

Dutchy leaned in. "It's in your pocket isn't it?"

The boy only smiled. "You're not callin' me a cheat are ya?"

Dutchy shook his head. "Callin' ya smart actually."

Specs caught on. "We could use someone like you to help with our own business. Da names Specs, and dis here is Dutchy."

"Dey call me Swifty, Swifty the Rake. You're newsies right?"

"Dat's right, and we like to sell papes any way possible, even if it ain't da most honest way." Dutchy shrugged.

Swifty seemed intrigued. "Ya know I think I may just be able to help ya boys out, as long as you can help me too." He spit in his hand and held it out.

The boys returned the jester excited for their new business partner. Swifty packed up his shell game and followed the boys to the end of the street.

"So sellin' papes huh?" Swifty looked around and noticed a few girls sitting on a bench. "Okay." He grabbed some papers out of Specs' hand and walked over to the girls.

"What's he doin'?" Dutchy was interested in what the boy was planning.

"Dunno." Specs shrugged.

Swifty bowed in front of the girls. "Hello ladies."

Dutchy and Specs watched as Swifty sweet talked the girls. The both rolled their eyes until they heard the girls begin to giggle. The girls handed Swifty money and took two papers each. Both boys stared wide eyed at Swifty who walked back with a sly smile.

"Did dey just take two each?" Specs looked at the girls on the bench.

Swifty pulled on his vest and winked. "It's just me charm."

The boys laughed but decided that as long as they sold their papers they could deal with Swifty flirting with every girl in New York. For the rest of the day the three boys thought of schemes to sell more papers, though Specs and Dutchy often lost track of Swifty who would often find ladies to flirt with and charm. At the end of the day the boys got some dinner at Tibby's and talked about Swifty's plans for the future.

Specs took a bit of his bread. "So, ya gotta place to sleep?"

Swifty shrugged. "Been staying with some other guys down in the tunnels, it's not the best, but it does me fine."

"Why don't ya come stay with us at the lodging house? Den we could come up with more ideas and we could all sell more papes." Dutchy stared at the boy with wide eyes.

Swifty looked unsure.

"Yeah, with winter comin' and all, the sewers won't be da best place to sleep. Our place has warm bunks and a place to wash up." Specs wiped his mouth.

"Hmm, maybe just one night."

Specs and Dutchy smiled and began to tell him about all the other boys at the lodging house.

"Ya gotta meet Cowboy, he's a genius when it comes to sellin'…"

Swifty listened as the two told him all the stories about the other newsies. He was excited to go meet them. He felt like he would fit in just fine, though he was not certain the newsie life was for him, but he knew time would soon tell.

Just as Specs and Dutchy thought, Swifty fit right in with all of the boys. He took well to Jack especially since they were both good a scheming, but loved swapping stories with all the boys. He instantly impressed everyone with his shell game skills and card tricks, which Dutchy and Specs did not know about. They knew Swifty's skills could sell more papers and the boys came up with different plans late into the night. They only went to bed after Kloppman had yelled at them multiple times.

Before Dutchy went to sleep he looked outside and saw snowflakes coming down onto the town. He liked the snow, but dreaded selling in the cold weather. He could feel that this winter would be a long one, but he felt like with his new friends it would be his best yet.

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AN: Thanks so much for reading, hope you enjoyed the chapter!