Author's Note: Another relatively short chapter, and no huge plot
movements…although we do fast-forward a week.
Chapter 6
The next morning Smarts woke at his usual time. He hadn't slept this good in a year. For the first time in ages he was sleeping on a real mattress. It might not have been the highest quality but it was better than the ground in the alley he and Dodger had shared up until the night before. He began to soak in his new surroundings. The other newsies slept peacefully in their bunks all around the room. Someone was snoring loudly. The only movement was from Dodger who just seemed to being waking up.
"Smarts, are you awake?" she whispered from the next bunk over.
"Yes," he whispered back.
"Isn't it time to get up?" she asked.
"Well, outside it looks like the same time we always get up, but no one else is getting up," Smarts said.
"I know, should we wake them?" she asked.
"No, remember Jack told us last night that we should go to bed and that man Kloppman would wake us in the morning. I guess he just isn't here yet. Let's go ahead and get ready, then we can get the washroom to ourselves," he suggested.
Dodger's face lit up. She had never had the convenience of a washroom before and the idea of sharing one with only one other person sounded heavenly. She jumped off the bed and quietly led the way to the washroom. A few minutes later the two emerged from the washroom; the bunkroom remained unchanged from when they had left so they crept down the stairs toward the front desk. The man they had met earlier was down there doing something behind the desk.
"Um, good morning, Mr. Kloppman," Smarts said to him. The man looked up startled.
"Oh, good morning," he said. "Aren't you two up a little early? The newsies usually don't get up for another ten minutes and I usually have to drag them out of bed."
"We just got up at the same time as we usually do. We have to clear out of our alley early every morning or else we might be found," Smarts explained.
"I see," Kloppman said with a smile. "Well how about you two go sit on the stoop until the rest of the boys get up."
They followed his advice and went outside. While they waited Dodger pulled out her prized possession, her jacks. They sat on the steps and began to play. Smarts wasn't sure why he played jacks with Dodger, he always lost. She had been a pickpocket and therefore she had fast hands. His hands were slow compared with hers.
They had been playing for fifteen minutes when the door was flung open and newsies came rushing out of the door. They hurriedly grabbed all the jacks and got out of the way.
"Hey, I wondered where you guys were," Jack told them. "I thought maybe Pie Eater's snoring scared you off."
"No, but it was awful loud," Dodger told him earning herself a glare from Pie Eater.
"We're used to getting up earlier than you do," Smarts explained.
"Well, anyway, we'd better get going. We have another full day of selling ahead. Today Dodger you stick with me and Smarts you can go with David. I would have had you selling with him yesterday, but he had to be somewhere else for the day. I think the two of you should get along great," Jack told him. "His brother Les will sell with you, too."
"Okay," the two chorused.
The crowd of newsies walked through the streets towards their breakfast and then the distribution center. Once they reached they got there they got their papes and headed out to go sell.
"Hey David," Jack called out. "Here's the kid I was telling you about. Les, David this is Smarts, Smarts this is David and Les. I think the three of you should get along pretty well."
Both groups headed off in different directions. Though Jack and David were partners they sold close together but in different locations. It was easier to get their selling done if they weren't right on top of one another.
This continued for several weeks. Dodger sold with Jack and Smarts sold with David and Les. Smarts, Les, Dodger and Boots began to become friends. The four of them could usually be found playing marbles or jacks at the lodging house when the older newsies played poker or craps.
One day while selling Dodger heard a noise coming out of a near by alley. Following the sound Dodger walked into the alley.
"Hey kid, what are you doing?" Jack called out.
"I think I heard something from down here," she whispered as she crept down the alley. She heard the sound again to her right. She bent down a moved an upside down crate. Underneath it was…
Another Author's Note: CLIFF HANGER!!! Dun! Dun! Dun!
What do you think is under the crate…come back for the next chapter and find out!
In the meantime get out there and review…I need love! I need attention! I must feel needed! Don't make me cry!!! :o(
Chapter 6
The next morning Smarts woke at his usual time. He hadn't slept this good in a year. For the first time in ages he was sleeping on a real mattress. It might not have been the highest quality but it was better than the ground in the alley he and Dodger had shared up until the night before. He began to soak in his new surroundings. The other newsies slept peacefully in their bunks all around the room. Someone was snoring loudly. The only movement was from Dodger who just seemed to being waking up.
"Smarts, are you awake?" she whispered from the next bunk over.
"Yes," he whispered back.
"Isn't it time to get up?" she asked.
"Well, outside it looks like the same time we always get up, but no one else is getting up," Smarts said.
"I know, should we wake them?" she asked.
"No, remember Jack told us last night that we should go to bed and that man Kloppman would wake us in the morning. I guess he just isn't here yet. Let's go ahead and get ready, then we can get the washroom to ourselves," he suggested.
Dodger's face lit up. She had never had the convenience of a washroom before and the idea of sharing one with only one other person sounded heavenly. She jumped off the bed and quietly led the way to the washroom. A few minutes later the two emerged from the washroom; the bunkroom remained unchanged from when they had left so they crept down the stairs toward the front desk. The man they had met earlier was down there doing something behind the desk.
"Um, good morning, Mr. Kloppman," Smarts said to him. The man looked up startled.
"Oh, good morning," he said. "Aren't you two up a little early? The newsies usually don't get up for another ten minutes and I usually have to drag them out of bed."
"We just got up at the same time as we usually do. We have to clear out of our alley early every morning or else we might be found," Smarts explained.
"I see," Kloppman said with a smile. "Well how about you two go sit on the stoop until the rest of the boys get up."
They followed his advice and went outside. While they waited Dodger pulled out her prized possession, her jacks. They sat on the steps and began to play. Smarts wasn't sure why he played jacks with Dodger, he always lost. She had been a pickpocket and therefore she had fast hands. His hands were slow compared with hers.
They had been playing for fifteen minutes when the door was flung open and newsies came rushing out of the door. They hurriedly grabbed all the jacks and got out of the way.
"Hey, I wondered where you guys were," Jack told them. "I thought maybe Pie Eater's snoring scared you off."
"No, but it was awful loud," Dodger told him earning herself a glare from Pie Eater.
"We're used to getting up earlier than you do," Smarts explained.
"Well, anyway, we'd better get going. We have another full day of selling ahead. Today Dodger you stick with me and Smarts you can go with David. I would have had you selling with him yesterday, but he had to be somewhere else for the day. I think the two of you should get along great," Jack told him. "His brother Les will sell with you, too."
"Okay," the two chorused.
The crowd of newsies walked through the streets towards their breakfast and then the distribution center. Once they reached they got there they got their papes and headed out to go sell.
"Hey David," Jack called out. "Here's the kid I was telling you about. Les, David this is Smarts, Smarts this is David and Les. I think the three of you should get along pretty well."
Both groups headed off in different directions. Though Jack and David were partners they sold close together but in different locations. It was easier to get their selling done if they weren't right on top of one another.
This continued for several weeks. Dodger sold with Jack and Smarts sold with David and Les. Smarts, Les, Dodger and Boots began to become friends. The four of them could usually be found playing marbles or jacks at the lodging house when the older newsies played poker or craps.
One day while selling Dodger heard a noise coming out of a near by alley. Following the sound Dodger walked into the alley.
"Hey kid, what are you doing?" Jack called out.
"I think I heard something from down here," she whispered as she crept down the alley. She heard the sound again to her right. She bent down a moved an upside down crate. Underneath it was…
Another Author's Note: CLIFF HANGER!!! Dun! Dun! Dun!
What do you think is under the crate…come back for the next chapter and find out!
In the meantime get out there and review…I need love! I need attention! I must feel needed! Don't make me cry!!! :o(