Adelaide pretended to be asleep when she heard Ralphie get up the next morning, hoping he would leave her alone and let her sell with Spot. She listened to him get dressed and talk to the boys as he made his way through the tenement basement.
"Fire, I want you to stick around here," said Ralphie. "When she gets up, have her practice with the bells."
"You got it, Ralphie."
"I'll be back this afternoon."
Adelaide heard Ralphie walk out, and the rest of the boys slowly filtered out.
"You gonna go sell?" she heard Fire's voice.
"Nah, I'll stick around here," she heard Spot's voice.
"You sweet on her or something?"
"No."
"You want to fuck her, don't you?"
"What? Jesus, Fire, no!"
"Well, if she's not with Ralphie, then she's always with you. I thought maybe—"
"You thought wrong."
"Oh yeah, you're sweet on Violet, ain't you?"
Silence.
"Does Ralphie know you're sweet on his sister?"
"Ralphie doesn't care."
"Kinda odd, ain't it? He don't care so much about his sister 'cept throwin' money her way, but he keeps a girl like Addie on a short leash."
"I guess it's different with sisters."
Adelaide sighed and slowly sat up. She dressed, taking her time, knowing she had no where important to be. She slowly walked through the sheet.
"Well if it ain't sleepin' beauty," Fire grinned.
Adelaide just rolled her eyes. She glanced over at Spot. He watched her for a moment before turning back to the dime store novel in his lap. Adelaide could see it was one of her Frank Merriwells.
"Time to go to school," Fire stood up.
"What?" Adelaide frowned.
Fire stood up and walked over to an old jacket that was hanging off a hook with bells pinned to certain spots. "School of the bells." He shook the jacket and Adelaide heard jingle bells. "Your job is to get this," he held up a billfold, "without makin' any of the bells ring." He slid the billfold into the interior pocket of the jacket.
Adelaide walked over to the jacket and slowly slid her hand inside. She hadn't even touched the billfold before a bell rang. She retracted her hand.
"Again," said Fire.
Adelaide sighed and tried again, getting no farther before the same bell rang.
"Again."
"Look, Ralphie tried for three days to teach me this, and I still couldn't lift anything off him."
"All of Ralphie's other girls could do it."
"Well, I ain't them."
"Let's try something else," said Fire. He took an old broken pocket watch and put it in his pocket. "Walk towards me and bump into me. When you do that, get the pocket watch. Just make sure you use that pretty face of yours to distract me."
Adelaide sighed. "Okay." She took a few steps away. She walked towards Fire and bumped into him. "Oh, excuse me," she put on a smile and slid the watch out of his pocket.
"Nope. Try again," said Fire.
"You can do this, Aide," Spot encouraged.
"No I can't!" said Adelaide.
"Well," said Fire, pocketing the watch once more. "I guess I'll have to tell Ralphie you're of no use anymore."
Adelaide snapped her head in his direction.
"The opium joints in Vinegar Hill are his favorite place to put a girl whose lost her usefulness," said Fire. "And Ralphie ain't above bringin' your brother to see you in one of them."
Adelaide took a deep breath. "Okay. Let me try again."
For the rest of the morning, Adelaide practice picking Fire's pockets. Spot occasionally chimed in with tips and constructive criticisms.
"Sorry!" said Adelaide as she dropped the watch.
Fire sighed and picked it up. "Addie, you may be hopeless."
"Maybe not." Adelaide smirked. Fire looked up and saw her holding a small stack of folded bills.
Spot smirked as Fire stood up straight and searched his pockets.
"Well done," he nodded, giving her a grin. He took his money back and put it in his pocket.
Adelaide looked at Spot, a triumphant grin on her face.
"Good job, Aide," he said.
Adelaide practiced recreating the trick until Ralphie showed up at lunchtime.
"How is she?" Ralphie asked, walking in.
"Not bad," said Fire.
"Good," said Ralphie. "Show me."
"I can't do it if you're standing there expecting it," said Adelaide.
"Well you better find a way to prove it, because I'm tired of you making pennies selling papes. And as soon as I convince Miss Connie, we'll be using her place for panel games."
"Please don't make me do those," said Adelaide.
"Tough luck."
Adelaide sighed. "Can I go sell with Spot now?"
"Not until I can see that you—" Ralph's voice cut off when Adelaide held his pocket watch up in front of him. "Very good," he grinned. Adelaide placed it in his hand. "You can sell with Spot tomorrow. You and me are going to Brooklyn Heights right now."