The next two weeks went by quickly. Late May melted into the last weeks of June. Kit celebrated her 17th birthday and life went on as before. Kit and Swan began to get into a grove. Swan began to sell with Jake, while Kit continued to sell with Mills.
Kit and Mills were selling the afternoon edition on the street corner on an unusually hot June afternoon. When they would stop for water Kit would look off into the distance as if searching for someone.
"So who is he?" Mills teased.
"Who is whom?" Kit flustered trying to hide that she had been searching for someone.
"The guy youse looking for. Youse been staring off that way a lot lately, Ise know it ain't Jack or Swan cause they're selling over towards Brooklyn. Who youse know in New York?"
Kit sighed as she answered, "I didn't realize it was so obvious. I was seeing if maybe just maybe Crale was gonna come around that corner."
"Whose Crale?" Mills' curiosity peeked.
"Sw…My brother, he was supposed to be here by now. Swan and me had to leave him in Cincinnati but he was supposed to follow us. I just miss him that's all."
"Oh I am sorry. Hey it's time to go find the guys and see if they have any idea for food. Come on." Mills grabbed Kit's hand and they ran to where they usually met the guys.
Another group of newsies was walking back toward the middle of Manhattan after selling their papers trying to find out more about Swan and Kit.
"Swan, youse been here a while what youse think of our city?"
"Not bad, never thought papes could move so fast."
"So is Kit youse sister or something?"
"Or something, Kits been tagging after her brudder and me since she was Les's age. Guess she's something like a sister to me."
"How old is youse?" Let's piped up.
"Kit's 17 and I'm 19, her brother's 20."
"Where her brudder?"
"Back in Cincinnati, we got separated cuz we didn't have the train fare for three people. He told us to go to Baltimore on our own; and that he would meet up with us later. Baltimore got a bit too heavy for Kit and me so we came north. But we left messages with the Bal'more newsies. Cray can find us when he is able."
"Man youse got weird names, Cray, Swan and Kit? Why dos names?" Les asked the questions that were on all three of the guys' minds.
"Well Swan was the easiest to get me last name is Swanson. Cray is quicker than Crayfish. Which Cray got after a water-fight where he stepped on crayfish, Crale "Crayfish" Swa…Oberg is just a bit too long. Now Kit, well it be short for Kitten, but don't let it fool you Ami is anything but a kitten, she has sharp teeth and nails, along with a sharp tongue." The last comment was followed by a wink. "Just don't tell her I said that or I'll end up with a nice shiner."
"Sure Ise won't tell hur."
Jack and David were walking and talking behind Les and Craig and Jack broke into the conversation, "Hey Swan you want to good meal or the slop Kloppman is serving?"
"Are you joshing, good food. If I can get it."
"Kay let's go get the goils and we can head over to Mouth and Let's here is house."
"Don't worry bout my Ma she loves having company and its me birthday, she said to invite some people."
"Sure, but I wouldn't worry about getting the girls, I bet that's them now." Swan waving up the street at the two approaching newsgirls.
"Hey youse goils want to go eat at Mouth here is?"
"Sure, come on Kitty goil it will be great, Mouth's mudder makes the best food."
Kit looked hesitant. "Okay I guess." Mills grabbed her hand and they raced the guys to the Jacobs.
"Mama we're back. Here I want to introduce you to some new kids. This here is Ami and Craig, they just got here from Bal'more. Kit, Swan this here is my Ma, Pa and me sister Sarah."
A respectful "Ma'am" was all either of the said.
Mr. Jacobs motioned to the table, "Well let's sit down and eat."
Most of the questions directed at Kit and Swan were general ones about their families, their lives, why they were in New York etceteras. After they had finished eating Kit and Mills helped Mrs. Jacobs and Sarah clear the table and do the dishes. Then they all gathered around the table to eat the cake that Mrs. Jacobs had made for dessert. The talk was of the news and how it affected them and the newsies. The clock was chiming 9 when Mrs. Jacobs glanced over to see that Let's was fast asleep. Mills saw Les and sat up and stretched "Thanks for dinner Ms. Jacobs but Ise thinks its time for us to head for ours lodgings."
Everyone got up saying their farewells and Ami, Craig, Jack and Mills headed for the lodging house.
Kit and Mills were selling the afternoon edition on the street corner on an unusually hot June afternoon. When they would stop for water Kit would look off into the distance as if searching for someone.
"So who is he?" Mills teased.
"Who is whom?" Kit flustered trying to hide that she had been searching for someone.
"The guy youse looking for. Youse been staring off that way a lot lately, Ise know it ain't Jack or Swan cause they're selling over towards Brooklyn. Who youse know in New York?"
Kit sighed as she answered, "I didn't realize it was so obvious. I was seeing if maybe just maybe Crale was gonna come around that corner."
"Whose Crale?" Mills' curiosity peeked.
"Sw…My brother, he was supposed to be here by now. Swan and me had to leave him in Cincinnati but he was supposed to follow us. I just miss him that's all."
"Oh I am sorry. Hey it's time to go find the guys and see if they have any idea for food. Come on." Mills grabbed Kit's hand and they ran to where they usually met the guys.
Another group of newsies was walking back toward the middle of Manhattan after selling their papers trying to find out more about Swan and Kit.
"Swan, youse been here a while what youse think of our city?"
"Not bad, never thought papes could move so fast."
"So is Kit youse sister or something?"
"Or something, Kits been tagging after her brudder and me since she was Les's age. Guess she's something like a sister to me."
"How old is youse?" Let's piped up.
"Kit's 17 and I'm 19, her brother's 20."
"Where her brudder?"
"Back in Cincinnati, we got separated cuz we didn't have the train fare for three people. He told us to go to Baltimore on our own; and that he would meet up with us later. Baltimore got a bit too heavy for Kit and me so we came north. But we left messages with the Bal'more newsies. Cray can find us when he is able."
"Man youse got weird names, Cray, Swan and Kit? Why dos names?" Les asked the questions that were on all three of the guys' minds.
"Well Swan was the easiest to get me last name is Swanson. Cray is quicker than Crayfish. Which Cray got after a water-fight where he stepped on crayfish, Crale "Crayfish" Swa…Oberg is just a bit too long. Now Kit, well it be short for Kitten, but don't let it fool you Ami is anything but a kitten, she has sharp teeth and nails, along with a sharp tongue." The last comment was followed by a wink. "Just don't tell her I said that or I'll end up with a nice shiner."
"Sure Ise won't tell hur."
Jack and David were walking and talking behind Les and Craig and Jack broke into the conversation, "Hey Swan you want to good meal or the slop Kloppman is serving?"
"Are you joshing, good food. If I can get it."
"Kay let's go get the goils and we can head over to Mouth and Let's here is house."
"Don't worry bout my Ma she loves having company and its me birthday, she said to invite some people."
"Sure, but I wouldn't worry about getting the girls, I bet that's them now." Swan waving up the street at the two approaching newsgirls.
"Hey youse goils want to go eat at Mouth here is?"
"Sure, come on Kitty goil it will be great, Mouth's mudder makes the best food."
Kit looked hesitant. "Okay I guess." Mills grabbed her hand and they raced the guys to the Jacobs.
"Mama we're back. Here I want to introduce you to some new kids. This here is Ami and Craig, they just got here from Bal'more. Kit, Swan this here is my Ma, Pa and me sister Sarah."
A respectful "Ma'am" was all either of the said.
Mr. Jacobs motioned to the table, "Well let's sit down and eat."
Most of the questions directed at Kit and Swan were general ones about their families, their lives, why they were in New York etceteras. After they had finished eating Kit and Mills helped Mrs. Jacobs and Sarah clear the table and do the dishes. Then they all gathered around the table to eat the cake that Mrs. Jacobs had made for dessert. The talk was of the news and how it affected them and the newsies. The clock was chiming 9 when Mrs. Jacobs glanced over to see that Let's was fast asleep. Mills saw Les and sat up and stretched "Thanks for dinner Ms. Jacobs but Ise thinks its time for us to head for ours lodgings."
Everyone got up saying their farewells and Ami, Craig, Jack and Mills headed for the lodging house.