The group headed to Brooklyn knowing that they didn't have much time. Spot saw a couple of his runners and called them over. "Youse two know anything about a strike?"
"There's talk bout how the World and the Journal have slashed the salaries of their workers to save themselves some money. The workers don't like it much so they decided to go on strike. That means no papers, so we ain't selling."
While that gave some information it wasn't much, "Youse go rounds up as many newsies as youse can and meet us at the docks, wes gonna have a meeting of the newsies."
"Spot there's a guy asking bout two kids want to know if wes seen them, says its important. What should wes do with him?"
"Bring him along, wes be on our side of the bridge in an hour, Ise want all those youse can get to the docks."
The runners left heading in different directions. Jack looked after them before turning to Spot, "They pretty far in don't you think Spot? This ain't exactly Brooklyn."
"Ise in Manhattan they're in Manhattan that's all, they'll leave when Ise leave."
"They better or Ise might just soak them first ask questions later."
David, Jack and Swan fell back as if to discuss something important, leaving Spot to try his luck with Kit. He decided to see if he had just caught her on a bad night or if her pluck was far real. He struck up a conversation with Mills on selling spots in Manhattan and which weather was easiest to sell papes, and Kit joined in after a time. The conversation held up for close to 20 min until, "So Kit youse Swan's goil or something?"
Kit stopped walking and causing Swan, Jack and David to almost run into her. "I. Am. No. One's. Girl. Swan is like a big brother. Don't even think that is gonna change. I am not gonna be anyone's 'goil' any time soon. Got IT?"
She moved closer and closer to Spot with each word; soon they were toe to toe and a staring contest began. They faced each other not blinking; knowing that winning was a matter of pride. Spot's ego wouldn't even let him consider losing, especially to a girl. But every ego does need a bruising every once in a while to keep it from getting too big, and while Spot's ego had gotten quite a bruising in the past 24 hours, he blinked.
"Ha, I won and I am still the champion." Kit threw her arms in the air in victory then spun on her heel to walk ahead. Mills stayed behind to offer condolences to Spot, "Its fine Spot youse still good with you shooters." Then ran to catch up with her new pal.
"Kelly that goil beat me. Ise tell my guys to not touch hur; but Ise can't control them when they ain't round me. They can only take so much before they break and soak hur."
Kit turned back to where the guys were talking, "You think I can't fight and defend myself? Try it and you will be surprised Spot Conlon." She turned back to her conversation with Mills. Those were the last words spoken between them till they reached the docks. David, Jack and Spot spent the rest of the time talking between the two of them, while Swan, Mills and Kit talked about mundane things trying to avoid arousing Kit's temper.
The docks themselves were filled with noise. Men were loading and unloading boats. The smells of fish, musty wood and of men stuck on boats longer than should be allowed assaulted the senses. At one end of the dock, a pier was abandoned because the water was too shallow for boats to come in and unload. Brooklyn newsies were enjoying their impromptu day off by swimming, fighting, or playing an odd game of poker. The activity ceased as Spot, Jack and the others arrived.
"Hey youse bums gets out of the water wes got ta talk."
The guys on the dock looked at each other till one yelled out, "Why do wes have ta discuss our business with these peoples wes don't knows here?"
"Kay then this here is Mills, Kit and Swan they're newsies, even the goils."
"Spot some guy was looking for a Kit and Swan asked if they had been here."
"So where is he?"
"I'm here. Kit is my kid sister and Swan is my best friend. What they doing in Manhattan?"
Before Spot or Jack could answer Kit spoke up, "We're selling papes Cray, you got a problem?"
"Nah just wondering why my kid sister looks like a boy."
"Get your back end over here, I ain't discussing it over a crowd of Brooklyn dodgers."
A blond with gray eyes in the back stood up, and came up to the girl. He gave her a once over before sitting down. "So why are you dressed like a boy? And aren't those my overalls?"
"It sells papes quicker, some people just don't buy from girls. And yes they are, you think I would borrow a pair of Craig's?"
"So then why are you in Brooklyn if you're selling in Manhattan?"
"You're just full of questions aren't you. If you would listen to Spot or Jack maybe you would find out."
Spot started his speech again, this time with a tone that would take no interruptions. "As youse know it looks like the guys who print the papes are striking. Wes gonna send some of youse over to Central Park to discuss what wes gonna do as newsies. Any volunteers or do I have to pick youse out myself?"
The tall Italian that had interrupted before stood up, "I'll go, I'll takes Brownoser with me."
"Fine with me Rounder, the rest of youse find out what is going on and report to these four."
Without much else to say or do the group broke up, some of the younger ones went back to playing in the water, while others went off to try to do what Spot wanted. Two really young newsies came up to Spot, "Spot can me and Bait come too?"
"Ise guess so Jolly but youse go to behave."
Jolly gave him a huge smile "Wes will."
Mills turned to Kit and asked, "So youse gonna introduce me to this here brudder of yours?"
"Crale this here is Mills, Mills this here is Cray, my big brother."
"Please to meet you Miss Mills. So Ami did this here bum treat you right, or will I need to have a few talks with him." Cray joked to his sister, while giving Swan a 'dirty look'.
"Of course he treated me right, you're the one who taught me how to fight, Swan knows that."
Spot over heard them talking and asked a question that was bothering him, "Ise taught Swan here was you brudder." Spot looked a little confused, but that quickly changed to total confusion as Kit started to yell at him.
"I said he was like a brother not that he is one" Kit got up in a huff and started walking back toward the Bridge.
Mills not wanting to let her friend go off by herself quickly got up. "Spot why youse keep picking on hur? What she do to youse?" Mills went to catch up with her friend calling for her to wait up.
Spot stood in shock and bewilderment. "All Ise did was ask hur a question." Turning to his friends he asked, "What did Ise do?"
The others were laughing at Spot and his predicament, knowing that they too had been there a time or two, but tried hard to stop and answer his question with minimal laughter.
Jack was the first to recover, "Ise no clue, but it must of been serious. She is your sister Cray, right? Do youse have a clue?"
Cray swallowed his laughter, "Ami? You think I could have her figured out? She is still a girl even if she is my sister. And I can't figure out girls for the life of me. Craig here might have an idea. Don't you Craig."
Craig had sobered up pretty quickly, "Well I have an idea what's wrong, but I really can't say, on risk of her soaking me."
Jolly looked skeptical, "Youse afraid of a goil soaking you? She don't seem that tough ta me."
Swan looked at Jolly and shook his head, "Not that tough? The girl talks back to Spot here, wins a staring contest too, has her big brother wrapped around her finger, and still manages to give the guy a black eye? And you say she isn't tough."
"She talked back to Spot and she's still walking?" Bait looked surprised, dark eyes widening.
Anger crossed Spot's face, "Youse know Ise don't soak goils on principal, but Ise got no such principles about youse."
Bait and Jolly scampered ahead worried about getting away, more than if Spot was really serious.
Thinking back to the night before Jack decided to ask his friend some questions as they walked. "Spot lay off them, they're barely old enough to sell papes, you should be careful or Ise gain them from under you nose. What's wrong not sleep well last night?"
Spot scowled, "Ise got plenty of sleep last night, no thanks to that goil."
"That's my sister you're talking bout, what she do that's so bad?" Cray looked ready to defend his sister if he had to.
"She took my bed last night, and wouldn't move even after she knew whose Ise be. Then today she just keeps yelling and hollering at me for no reason that Ise can see. Youse sure she's right in the head?"
By this time Cray had lost the threatening look in his eye and was trying hard not to start laughing, "That's my sister alright, we ain't sure if she is right in the head. But for the most part this is normal behavior for her. Though sleeping with a guy isn't like her."
"I wasn't in the bed with her."
"No kidding she pushed youse out." Jack interjected, which earned him a dirty look from Spot.
"Don't worry about it, I knows what's going on. Just keep out of her way and she'll come round and stop yelling at you." Swan smirked, "I am sure of that."
By silent agreement the guys dropped the conversation and began talking about other more manly subjects. They studiously ignored the girls and the girls ignored them back.
"There's talk bout how the World and the Journal have slashed the salaries of their workers to save themselves some money. The workers don't like it much so they decided to go on strike. That means no papers, so we ain't selling."
While that gave some information it wasn't much, "Youse go rounds up as many newsies as youse can and meet us at the docks, wes gonna have a meeting of the newsies."
"Spot there's a guy asking bout two kids want to know if wes seen them, says its important. What should wes do with him?"
"Bring him along, wes be on our side of the bridge in an hour, Ise want all those youse can get to the docks."
The runners left heading in different directions. Jack looked after them before turning to Spot, "They pretty far in don't you think Spot? This ain't exactly Brooklyn."
"Ise in Manhattan they're in Manhattan that's all, they'll leave when Ise leave."
"They better or Ise might just soak them first ask questions later."
David, Jack and Swan fell back as if to discuss something important, leaving Spot to try his luck with Kit. He decided to see if he had just caught her on a bad night or if her pluck was far real. He struck up a conversation with Mills on selling spots in Manhattan and which weather was easiest to sell papes, and Kit joined in after a time. The conversation held up for close to 20 min until, "So Kit youse Swan's goil or something?"
Kit stopped walking and causing Swan, Jack and David to almost run into her. "I. Am. No. One's. Girl. Swan is like a big brother. Don't even think that is gonna change. I am not gonna be anyone's 'goil' any time soon. Got IT?"
She moved closer and closer to Spot with each word; soon they were toe to toe and a staring contest began. They faced each other not blinking; knowing that winning was a matter of pride. Spot's ego wouldn't even let him consider losing, especially to a girl. But every ego does need a bruising every once in a while to keep it from getting too big, and while Spot's ego had gotten quite a bruising in the past 24 hours, he blinked.
"Ha, I won and I am still the champion." Kit threw her arms in the air in victory then spun on her heel to walk ahead. Mills stayed behind to offer condolences to Spot, "Its fine Spot youse still good with you shooters." Then ran to catch up with her new pal.
"Kelly that goil beat me. Ise tell my guys to not touch hur; but Ise can't control them when they ain't round me. They can only take so much before they break and soak hur."
Kit turned back to where the guys were talking, "You think I can't fight and defend myself? Try it and you will be surprised Spot Conlon." She turned back to her conversation with Mills. Those were the last words spoken between them till they reached the docks. David, Jack and Spot spent the rest of the time talking between the two of them, while Swan, Mills and Kit talked about mundane things trying to avoid arousing Kit's temper.
The docks themselves were filled with noise. Men were loading and unloading boats. The smells of fish, musty wood and of men stuck on boats longer than should be allowed assaulted the senses. At one end of the dock, a pier was abandoned because the water was too shallow for boats to come in and unload. Brooklyn newsies were enjoying their impromptu day off by swimming, fighting, or playing an odd game of poker. The activity ceased as Spot, Jack and the others arrived.
"Hey youse bums gets out of the water wes got ta talk."
The guys on the dock looked at each other till one yelled out, "Why do wes have ta discuss our business with these peoples wes don't knows here?"
"Kay then this here is Mills, Kit and Swan they're newsies, even the goils."
"Spot some guy was looking for a Kit and Swan asked if they had been here."
"So where is he?"
"I'm here. Kit is my kid sister and Swan is my best friend. What they doing in Manhattan?"
Before Spot or Jack could answer Kit spoke up, "We're selling papes Cray, you got a problem?"
"Nah just wondering why my kid sister looks like a boy."
"Get your back end over here, I ain't discussing it over a crowd of Brooklyn dodgers."
A blond with gray eyes in the back stood up, and came up to the girl. He gave her a once over before sitting down. "So why are you dressed like a boy? And aren't those my overalls?"
"It sells papes quicker, some people just don't buy from girls. And yes they are, you think I would borrow a pair of Craig's?"
"So then why are you in Brooklyn if you're selling in Manhattan?"
"You're just full of questions aren't you. If you would listen to Spot or Jack maybe you would find out."
Spot started his speech again, this time with a tone that would take no interruptions. "As youse know it looks like the guys who print the papes are striking. Wes gonna send some of youse over to Central Park to discuss what wes gonna do as newsies. Any volunteers or do I have to pick youse out myself?"
The tall Italian that had interrupted before stood up, "I'll go, I'll takes Brownoser with me."
"Fine with me Rounder, the rest of youse find out what is going on and report to these four."
Without much else to say or do the group broke up, some of the younger ones went back to playing in the water, while others went off to try to do what Spot wanted. Two really young newsies came up to Spot, "Spot can me and Bait come too?"
"Ise guess so Jolly but youse go to behave."
Jolly gave him a huge smile "Wes will."
Mills turned to Kit and asked, "So youse gonna introduce me to this here brudder of yours?"
"Crale this here is Mills, Mills this here is Cray, my big brother."
"Please to meet you Miss Mills. So Ami did this here bum treat you right, or will I need to have a few talks with him." Cray joked to his sister, while giving Swan a 'dirty look'.
"Of course he treated me right, you're the one who taught me how to fight, Swan knows that."
Spot over heard them talking and asked a question that was bothering him, "Ise taught Swan here was you brudder." Spot looked a little confused, but that quickly changed to total confusion as Kit started to yell at him.
"I said he was like a brother not that he is one" Kit got up in a huff and started walking back toward the Bridge.
Mills not wanting to let her friend go off by herself quickly got up. "Spot why youse keep picking on hur? What she do to youse?" Mills went to catch up with her friend calling for her to wait up.
Spot stood in shock and bewilderment. "All Ise did was ask hur a question." Turning to his friends he asked, "What did Ise do?"
The others were laughing at Spot and his predicament, knowing that they too had been there a time or two, but tried hard to stop and answer his question with minimal laughter.
Jack was the first to recover, "Ise no clue, but it must of been serious. She is your sister Cray, right? Do youse have a clue?"
Cray swallowed his laughter, "Ami? You think I could have her figured out? She is still a girl even if she is my sister. And I can't figure out girls for the life of me. Craig here might have an idea. Don't you Craig."
Craig had sobered up pretty quickly, "Well I have an idea what's wrong, but I really can't say, on risk of her soaking me."
Jolly looked skeptical, "Youse afraid of a goil soaking you? She don't seem that tough ta me."
Swan looked at Jolly and shook his head, "Not that tough? The girl talks back to Spot here, wins a staring contest too, has her big brother wrapped around her finger, and still manages to give the guy a black eye? And you say she isn't tough."
"She talked back to Spot and she's still walking?" Bait looked surprised, dark eyes widening.
Anger crossed Spot's face, "Youse know Ise don't soak goils on principal, but Ise got no such principles about youse."
Bait and Jolly scampered ahead worried about getting away, more than if Spot was really serious.
Thinking back to the night before Jack decided to ask his friend some questions as they walked. "Spot lay off them, they're barely old enough to sell papes, you should be careful or Ise gain them from under you nose. What's wrong not sleep well last night?"
Spot scowled, "Ise got plenty of sleep last night, no thanks to that goil."
"That's my sister you're talking bout, what she do that's so bad?" Cray looked ready to defend his sister if he had to.
"She took my bed last night, and wouldn't move even after she knew whose Ise be. Then today she just keeps yelling and hollering at me for no reason that Ise can see. Youse sure she's right in the head?"
By this time Cray had lost the threatening look in his eye and was trying hard not to start laughing, "That's my sister alright, we ain't sure if she is right in the head. But for the most part this is normal behavior for her. Though sleeping with a guy isn't like her."
"I wasn't in the bed with her."
"No kidding she pushed youse out." Jack interjected, which earned him a dirty look from Spot.
"Don't worry about it, I knows what's going on. Just keep out of her way and she'll come round and stop yelling at you." Swan smirked, "I am sure of that."
By silent agreement the guys dropped the conversation and began talking about other more manly subjects. They studiously ignored the girls and the girls ignored them back.