They got back with minutes to spare and found the house was in total chaos. It was the night of the monthly poker match between the boroughs had gotten out of hand when one of the guys *cough Racetrack cough* was caught cheating. The game had turned into a free for all pillow fight, so the feathers and fists flew.
Jack whistled shrilly after shouting hadn't gotten him anywhere. "What started this? No let me guess so one was cheating at cards right? Well I'll take care of the cheater. Now clear out all youse that can get back to youse places before curfew, rest of youse goes pay Kloppman, you can sleep on the floor. Youse from Brooklyn this here is Swan and Kit there Manhattan's newest. If a guy named Cray comes looking for them sends him here got it? Now girlies youse get the sinks first, youse better hurry."
Kit and Mills ran for the wash room giggling and rolling their eyes. While the girls were washing up Jack began introducing Swan to the guys in the bunkroom. "Swan Ise wants youse to meet some of the guys here from Brooklyn. This here is Rounder, Falcon, Brownoser, and this bum here is their leader and one of me best friends, Spot Conlon."
There were nods of acknowledgement all around the circle as the guys barely looked up from their poker game. Spot finished his hand and got up to shake hands with Swan.
"Hello Swan, so youse the newest Manhattan newsie. Ise not seen youse before, youse not from around here are you?"
"Nah, Kit and I are from a little town in Nebraska. We came out here looking for work. Jack said we could work as newsies here in Manhattan."
The girls entered then and that was the signal for the guys to start getting ready to bunk down for the night. They had been done in record time and had climbed into their bunks before they guys realized they were done.
Even with the mayhem that filled the room Kit was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. That is until a guy's out raged yell woke her back up. "What youse think youse doing in my bed?"
She bolted up right hitting her head in the process on the bottom of the upper bunk. "Ouch, well I was sleeping and since I was here first you can sleep on the floor like a good boy."
Spot was taken back no newsie in his right mind had ever talked back to him. "Youse obviously don't knows who Ise be."
"No I don't, nor do I care, get lost." All conversation in the room stopped, no one had ever spoken like that to Spot as long as anyone could remember.
"Well Ise Spot Conlon."
"And that should mean to me?"
"Ise de leader of the Brooklyn newsies."
"Oh I see, well I am Kit Oberg, and I am trying to sleep so if you will excuse me…" With that she flopped back down onto the pillow and pulled the sheet as best she could over her head.
Spot sat there speechless this girl had told him off and then went back to sleep. He wasn't going sleep on the floor and he wasn't just gonna give up the bunk either. He put his feet up and lay down on the small bunk. Kit rolled over and he 'accidentally' ended up on the floor.
Spot was ticked this girl had pushed him out of his bed after invading it. He got up snapped his fingers and signaled a younger newsie out of the top bunk. He crawled in quickly thinking of ways to get back at the girl on the other bed.
The morning came quickly. "Cowboy, Racetrack, Boots, Skittery. All youse lazy bums get out to carry the Banner. Out of youse beds boys up now all youse or it will be a bucket of cold water on you."
Kit began to crawl out of her cozy cocoon when she saw Mills signaling her to stay. Mills mouthed "Watch the show." Kit looked confused until Mills pointed then she saw what the 'show' was. The guys were getting dressed in a helter-skelter manner not really caring who was watching and the girls watched.
As the guys filed out Mills jumped off her bunk "Come on we have about 2 min before they realize wes ain't there and they come looking for us." They both laughed and slipped into their clothes pulling up their hair and sticking it under caps as they clamored down the stairs trying to stay up with the guys. Only Kloppman noted their late arrival, but he winked at the girls as he counted those that went by and onto the street.
Jack whistled shrilly after shouting hadn't gotten him anywhere. "What started this? No let me guess so one was cheating at cards right? Well I'll take care of the cheater. Now clear out all youse that can get back to youse places before curfew, rest of youse goes pay Kloppman, you can sleep on the floor. Youse from Brooklyn this here is Swan and Kit there Manhattan's newest. If a guy named Cray comes looking for them sends him here got it? Now girlies youse get the sinks first, youse better hurry."
Kit and Mills ran for the wash room giggling and rolling their eyes. While the girls were washing up Jack began introducing Swan to the guys in the bunkroom. "Swan Ise wants youse to meet some of the guys here from Brooklyn. This here is Rounder, Falcon, Brownoser, and this bum here is their leader and one of me best friends, Spot Conlon."
There were nods of acknowledgement all around the circle as the guys barely looked up from their poker game. Spot finished his hand and got up to shake hands with Swan.
"Hello Swan, so youse the newest Manhattan newsie. Ise not seen youse before, youse not from around here are you?"
"Nah, Kit and I are from a little town in Nebraska. We came out here looking for work. Jack said we could work as newsies here in Manhattan."
The girls entered then and that was the signal for the guys to start getting ready to bunk down for the night. They had been done in record time and had climbed into their bunks before they guys realized they were done.
Even with the mayhem that filled the room Kit was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. That is until a guy's out raged yell woke her back up. "What youse think youse doing in my bed?"
She bolted up right hitting her head in the process on the bottom of the upper bunk. "Ouch, well I was sleeping and since I was here first you can sleep on the floor like a good boy."
Spot was taken back no newsie in his right mind had ever talked back to him. "Youse obviously don't knows who Ise be."
"No I don't, nor do I care, get lost." All conversation in the room stopped, no one had ever spoken like that to Spot as long as anyone could remember.
"Well Ise Spot Conlon."
"And that should mean to me?"
"Ise de leader of the Brooklyn newsies."
"Oh I see, well I am Kit Oberg, and I am trying to sleep so if you will excuse me…" With that she flopped back down onto the pillow and pulled the sheet as best she could over her head.
Spot sat there speechless this girl had told him off and then went back to sleep. He wasn't going sleep on the floor and he wasn't just gonna give up the bunk either. He put his feet up and lay down on the small bunk. Kit rolled over and he 'accidentally' ended up on the floor.
Spot was ticked this girl had pushed him out of his bed after invading it. He got up snapped his fingers and signaled a younger newsie out of the top bunk. He crawled in quickly thinking of ways to get back at the girl on the other bed.
The morning came quickly. "Cowboy, Racetrack, Boots, Skittery. All youse lazy bums get out to carry the Banner. Out of youse beds boys up now all youse or it will be a bucket of cold water on you."
Kit began to crawl out of her cozy cocoon when she saw Mills signaling her to stay. Mills mouthed "Watch the show." Kit looked confused until Mills pointed then she saw what the 'show' was. The guys were getting dressed in a helter-skelter manner not really caring who was watching and the girls watched.
As the guys filed out Mills jumped off her bunk "Come on we have about 2 min before they realize wes ain't there and they come looking for us." They both laughed and slipped into their clothes pulling up their hair and sticking it under caps as they clamored down the stairs trying to stay up with the guys. Only Kloppman noted their late arrival, but he winked at the girls as he counted those that went by and onto the street.