Elizabeth

"I've never been to Brooklyn, have you?" David asked. "Jackie takes me all da time," I tell him. "Really?" David asked Jack. "Her best frien lives here," Jack explains. "Have you?" David asked Boots. "I spent a month here one night," Boots told him. "Watch this," Jack told David. He lifted me up and motions for Boots to follow. "Aaahhhhh!!!" We all yelled except David who looked at us meanly. "So is this-is this Spot Conlon really dangerous?" Davey asked. Jack, Boots, and I laugh as we continue to cross the bridge.

Jack and I weren't scared of Spot, we've known him for 6 years. After crossing the bridge we go deep into Brooklyn towards the lodge and lake where some Brooklyn boys were swimming. "Going somewhere, Kelly?" I guy named Coin asked. We push past him. "Well if it ain't Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick," Spot said. "So you moved up in the world Spot, have a riva view an everything," Jack said. "Bubbles!" Someone said. I look up to see Snake standing next to Spot. "Snake!" I say. We hugged and then Jack and Spot spit shake so we did the same.

"Hey Boots how's it rollin?" Spot asked. "Ere, got a couple a real good shooters," Boots held out his marbles. "Yeah," Spot said shooting one. "Hey Spotty," I say. "Little Kelly! Hiya kid, why don't you and Snake go and uh play around inside huh?" Spot suggested. I look at Jack who nodded and then I thanked Spot and ran with Snake inside.

"Spotty says Jackie wants ta strike," Snake said once we stopped running. "Yeah, theys messed with the price an now he's real sore about it cause it's real important," I explained trying to act like my brother and even using his voice. "Well Brooklyn ain't gon mess around with no wannabe cowboy an some fake strike, youse gotta prove it ta me," Snake said sounding like Spot. We then laughed and used our regular voices. "Do Spotty still use that cane?" I asked. "He says it makes it more fun to bust heads," Snake said.

"We gots two newbies," I tell Snake. "Really, when?" She asked. "Yesterday, Jack let em sell wit us," I tell her. "How old?" She asked. "Ones 9 the other is Jack's age, and I don't like em that much," I say. "What's wrong with em?" She asked. "I think Les has a crush on me brudda," I whispered in her ear. "Is Les the younger one?" She asked. I nodded. "He can't have a crush on Jack, he's a kid," Snake whispered. "Yeah I know," I say. "Kids ain't allowed crushes, Spot tol me so," Snake whispered. "Jack tol me that," I whisper back. "Do they bunk togethter?" She asked. "No he's rich an he live in a house, an he gots folks, an he even use ta goes ta school," I say. "Why's he a newsie then?" Snake asked. "Me thinks his folks got hoit," I say. "Me thinks he's lying," She told me. I shake my head. "I's met them before, Jackie's real sweet on his sister, Sarah," I whisper the last part, but I guess I'm a bad whisperer.

"I am not," Jack said coming in. "You so are, I bets youse even makes eyes on her," Snake said. "He does," I tell Snake. "Makes eyes?" Spot asked us. "Like this!" Snake and I say making love eyes with a huge grin. "I'm Cowboy and Ise 'ave a crush on a gal named Sarah," Snake said tipping a fake hat. "But Ise to scared to tell er' so I's jus thinks of kissing on her likes this," I say Snake and I making kissy faces. This made Spot and Boots laugh, but Jack just glared at me so I stuck out my tongue. Jack, Spot, and Boots scooped us up and started tickling us. While Jack said things like "take it back," and "I bet this'll make ya stop."

"Alright trouble twins, how would youse likes for Ellie to stay here for tonight?"Jack asked. "Yes!" Snake and I both shout. "Good because Jacky Boy made a deal thats lets that to happen," Spot said. "Is you staying too?" I asked Jack. "Nah, Ise got a strike to run, but youse gonna stay here where the spider can't getcha," Jack said hugging me. I hug back and then let him leave.

Jack

"Why'd you leave your sister there, I thought Brooklyn was dangerous?" David asked. "It ain't dangerous if youse got friends," Jack said. "Is that what Spot is, a friend?" Davey asked. He really is as annoying as Ellie says he is. "Spot ain't a friend, we's jus get along," Boots explains. "Our sistah's is friens'," I explained. "Spot has a sister?" Davey asked. "Snake Conlon, the little red head mah sista was hugging," I tell him.

The whole walk Davey was judging me. Once we split ways I turn towards Boots. "I think Spot jus gave 'im a nickname," I say. "Walkin Mouf, that ain't half bad," Boots said. "Well when do we give it to 'im," I ask. "We don't even know if he's stayin long, didn't yer sista say they was only staying til their dad gets back on his feet?" Boots asked. I nodded. "It was real smart to leave yer sista in Brooklyn," he said. "Yeah?" I ask. "Yer right, she don't needa see that," Boots said. I sighed, for the first time today I felt like I had made a good decision.

Snake

Nextday

The morning bell rang waking all of us up and Bubbles and I were about to get out of bed when Spot stopped us. "Go back ta sleep kids, we ain't selling today," he said. "Why?" I ask bouncing onto Spot's bed. "The Strike in Manhattan, we may not be helping yet, but we sure as hell ain't gonna be selling today," He said. I tried going back to sleep, but I wasn't tired so I grab Ellie's hand and we tried to sneak around Spot.

"Elizabeth Kelly! Rois Conlon! Either youse go back to sleep or youse get out of the room, we're sleeping here!" Spot yelled. Some of the boys ooh and ah because Spot used our real names, but Ellie shut them up and we ran out of the room. As we ran out I could've sworn I heard Spot telling us not to go far. "Ya know Spotty got a goilfwiend," I say. "Really?" El asked. "Yea she lives in the Brooklyn orphanage and sometimes she sneaks out to come to the bunk room and kiss 'im," I said.

"Wheres we going?" Ellie asked. "To see his goilfwiend," I roll my eyes. I love El, but she and her brother were too the same sometimes. We still had on jammies, but none of us cared we just slip on boots and leave the lodge. "So the newbies go to school?" I ask. "Yeah, and they're all hoity-toity like theys never worked a day in his life," she answered. Just as we were about to turn towards the street where Lilly's orphanage was someone zoomed towards the alley we were in. "Beat it! It's the bulls!!" He yelled. "Let's go!" Ellie said grabbing my hand and running back. I turn towards the boy as Ellie's running me away. "Blinky Boy," I say to Ellie. She came to a stop. "Where?" She asked.

I had no time to answer because Ellie and I were soon picked up and ran towards the lodge. "Are you mad, why would you stop?!" Blink asked. He looked beat. The bulls were close behind us. "The bulls," El said. "Jump!" Blink shouts jumping into the lake with us. We swam under the bridge while the bulls were looking for us. "Get outta here!" I heard Spot shout. I watch as the bulls left and then after a few seconds I pull myself out of the water. "I tol youse not to go far!" Spot said to Ellie and I. Blink pulled himself out next. "Conlon, we needs a talk," he said. "Goils get yerselves cleaned off," Spot said. We ran right to the the tubs to wash the mud off.