Chapter Three
Despite the hatred that each of the newsboys felt towards 'old man Pulitzer' the lodging house was very quiet that evening. Race had won on his horse that day but he was still sombre and sat on a box in the corner kicking a pile of ropes that lay on the ground, he had a look of complete concentration on his face, his brow was screwed up and he didn't speak. The newsboys that were there sat like this for some time. It seemed to have hit Jack the hardest, no surprise really, he was a really kind hearted person and it hurt him a lot to see that he could have contributed towards causing this. As always though, he bottled his feelings, saved them for when he was alone. Later that evening when only Race and Mush remained up, sitting in the corner talking for the first time about the days events, they heard Jack singing quietly from the other side of the door that they sat by.
"Santa Fe, are you there..." he began, then they heard him begin to cry, they knew that they couldn't go and comfort him, it would hurt his pride too much, he'd never forgive them. None of them slept well that night; Mush could tell that although they all lay with their eyes shut, they weren't asleep, just thinking. Next morning they were all up before Kloppman came through. He had heard the news and just decided that it was best to leave it be and act normally. He came in to hurry them as usual, saw them standing there silently, then he left, murmuring something about going to get a drink.
Despite the hatred that each of the newsboys felt towards 'old man Pulitzer' the lodging house was very quiet that evening. Race had won on his horse that day but he was still sombre and sat on a box in the corner kicking a pile of ropes that lay on the ground, he had a look of complete concentration on his face, his brow was screwed up and he didn't speak. The newsboys that were there sat like this for some time. It seemed to have hit Jack the hardest, no surprise really, he was a really kind hearted person and it hurt him a lot to see that he could have contributed towards causing this. As always though, he bottled his feelings, saved them for when he was alone. Later that evening when only Race and Mush remained up, sitting in the corner talking for the first time about the days events, they heard Jack singing quietly from the other side of the door that they sat by.
"Santa Fe, are you there..." he began, then they heard him begin to cry, they knew that they couldn't go and comfort him, it would hurt his pride too much, he'd never forgive them. None of them slept well that night; Mush could tell that although they all lay with their eyes shut, they weren't asleep, just thinking. Next morning they were all up before Kloppman came through. He had heard the news and just decided that it was best to leave it be and act normally. He came in to hurry them as usual, saw them standing there silently, then he left, murmuring something about going to get a drink.
