Before I knew it, it was Friday night. Poker night for a newsie. I smiled to myself while digging in my pack at the top of my pallet.

"Dearie, why are you smiling that evil smile?" Magic asked while climbing in the window.

"Poker night," I answered happily and then frowned. "How do you get in through that window? It's on the second story. And why?" I asked.

"Tricks of the trade to your first question and I have to keep in shape to the second one." Magic said. "Oh, by the way before you play poker tonight I'm calling in my favor."

"What favor? I owe you a favor? What kind?" I asked, confused.

"The night you first came I tired Spot out beforehand so he didn't fight you near as long as he might have. That favor." She replied to my questioning.

"Well, I suppose I could give you a hand with something. Within reason." I told her.

"Good, follow me." Magic led me downstairs and to the tiny bathroom that she and I shared. Once there she pointed to the sink and pulled a bottle out of her apron pocket. Magic was the first girl newsie I knew who actually dressed in skirts. Everyone else wore boys' clothes because usually you could get a hand me down if you weren't picky.

"All right I need to redye my hair. You can see about two inches of red and I'm sick of wearing a cap all the time," she explained to me.

"Wait a minute you dye your hair? Why?" I asked while combing the black, noxious smelling liquid through.

"Red hair is way too notice—Hey you got some in my eyes! Ouch! See if I ever let you do this again." She shouted.

"Oh, yeah. Well who else would do it?" I asked after shouting out the door for the time.

"Spot would. He used to." Magic replied, as usual not wasting any words. She was the absolute quietest person I ever knew. She either had something important to say or you had to ask her a direct question.

"Why can't I see the great Spot Conlin doing something like that? You mean he didn't beat you up while doing it either?" I said sarcastically

"Spot is a nice guy. That night I told him that three of his boys had been picked up by Snyder for stealing." Magic said quietly. "Tonight give him a chance.

I nodded reluctantly and rinsed the dye from her hair. She thanked me and left the bathroom. I followed her out and watched her stick her head in Spot's office. Then she headed out the door into the night.

Poker in Brooklyn was like any other poker game anywhere. It started off with about fifty people split into groups of five. I went and sat down at Sleepy and Roast Beef's table. Pegs, an older newsie about twenty, was also there. Cribbage was really his game but he played poker sometimes. By one o'clock I knew I was going to be miserable the next day and I had lasted to be one of the last five players. Spot was the only other one that I knew by name. Eventually he was the only other one playing. I had been really surprised; he seemed nicer and cuter the drunker I got. Eventually I had a two of hearts, three of clubs, five of diamonds, the nine of hearts and the seven of spades. A terrible hand, but I decided I could bluff through it. I reached into my pocket for more money and found that I had none.

"Spot, ahem. Will you take my marker?" I slurred.

"Sure, girl. But not for money." Spot replied. I don't think he is nearly as drunk as I am.

"Well, then. What do you want?" I questioned warily.

"I'll tell you after. What do you say?" He asked with a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.

"Okay. I suppose I have a good enough hand." I said cockily and wrote down a marker TO SPOT CONLIN. MARKER FER ANYTING HE WANTS.

Oh, no. He didn't fold. Not good at all. We laid down our cards next. He had a great hand! Not fair! For all I know he'll want me to have his baby or something. I hope not.

Suddenly I ran for the bathroom and just barely got there in time. Yes, I threw up more than once. When I finally left the bathroom it was dark and all I could hear was the snores of a bunch of drunken newsies. Unexpectedly I sat down and decided to sleep right there outside the bathroom. So it'll be a little uncomfortable and loud (after all Magic doesn't snore) but I won't have to walk any farther.

I had just gotten comfortable when somebody picked me up and swung me over their shoulder. Let's see. Wet hair, smells like smoke and I think they just went swimming in the river. Then he sits me on the ladder. I look up and it isn't Sleepy or even Pegs but it was Spot.

"Okay, what do you want for my marker. I think I'm sober now." I asked slowly.

Spot smiled slowly (smiled not smirked I wasn't aware he could do that) and said, "I won't collect today. However, come swimming with me. The water is great."

I looked at him and shrugged. "I might as well." I said and headed for the door.

The night was warm and hazy. You could actually see the stars and the lights from Manhattan twinkled over at us. He stripped off his clothes to his long underwear that it seemed a little warm for but Brooklyn guys wear all year long so they can go swimming. I pulled off my button down shirt and suspenders but left my pants and undershirts on. Then we both jumped in. We swam two and a half-hours and at about four o'clock we ended up talking up on the stacks of boxes he liked to sit on. Spot Conlin had a lot of good ideas to make being a newsie a little easier. I was surprised at the way he put everyone else in the warehouse first. I was also amazed that he was the one who insisted on their being a fund for sick or hurt newsies. It took a while but eventually he kissed me. Whoa. I wasn't aware that it could feel like that. Usually when I kissed a guy I kept thinking about how because I was kissing him he'd let me stay another week, or forgive me for cheating or let me in without paying. However, with Spot I only thought about the kiss.

That night I went up to my mattress on the floor dancing on air. I had just made out with Spot Conlin because I wanted to. Not because I had to. I had to tell someone. I looked over at Magic's bed and saw that she wasn't there. I wonder where she is. Maybe Spot knows. I'll go ask. Oh, goody an excuse to go back to Spot again.

I got to Spot's office and knocked on the door. "Hey Spot, can I come in?" I called.

"Sure doll," came the lazy answer.

I walked in and was greeted by the sight of Spot lying shirtless on the top of his desk.

"So do you have a reason for coming here or did you just miss me?" Spot asked quietly.

"I have a reason," I huffed back at him. "Magic isn't back yet and I just wondered if you knew where she was or if I should be worried."

Spot sat up quickly. "Shit. I hope she didn't blow her cover somewhere and get hurt. I mean there's a first time for everything, right?"

I felt really worried. I mean if Spot Conlin gets nervous you know that something could be up.

Spot glanced over at me. "Hey doll, do you mind if we skip selling today and go look for Magic?"

"No, I don't mind but could you think of something else to call me besides doll?" I asked exasperated.

"Well, it is hard to call you "The Traveler" What do you want to be called?" He asked as we walked to where Roast Beef slept. Spot held a whispered consultation with him and grabbed my arm as we headed towards the door.

"I don't know." I said worried. How was it that I didn't know a name for myself?

"What did they call you at your first newsie place?" asked Spot as we headed toward the Brooklyn Bridge.

"Let's see. That was Midtown and I was the only girl. So they were going to just call me girl until they came up with a better name. Only I left after a couple weeks. I just kept going those first two years. Eventually everyone called me The Traveler even after I started spending a few months at various places." I replied biting my lip at the memories that started rushing back.

"Could you tell me your real name and I'd only call you that in private?" Spot said watching me out of the corner of his eye.

"No, I don't think I want to do that. Names have too much power over people," I told Spot quietly.

"I just won't call you anything then okay? Is that all right with you?" Spot said icily.

"Look, Spot. All right. My name was Anna-Maria. All right? Are you happy now?" I practically shouted at him in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge. "But it's not Anna-Maria any more!"

"Look, I'm sorry okay. Don't make it a huge deal. My name's Patrick. How about I call you Tee?" Spot grasped my arms so hard I knew I'd bruise and made me stop.

I took a deep breath and thought about it. "All right, Tee sounds fine. But I want you to be the only one to call me that."

"Good. Because I want me to be the only one who calls you that. Now do you want to go in the Manhattan Lodging House or what? You've never spent anytime in Manhattan have you? Why is that?" Spot spit out his words very quickly.

"Just never felt like going to Manhattan I guess. I can come in if you want me to." I replied.

For an answer Spot grabbed my hand and pulled me into the door. He talked to the old man behind the desk and was directed upstairs. I followed as close as I could to spot and hoped that Racetrack wasn't there. Once we got to the top of the stairs we went into a bunkroom. I maneuvered to stay behind and kind of peek over his shoulder. Spot went to a top bunk where a blond boy was sleeping and woke him up.

"Jacky-boy. Wake up. We've got to talk to you." Spot whispered.

I looked around while Spot was shaking and slapping the kid on the bed. Finally I found my brother fast asleep on a bottom bunk. Talk about not changing. I would've known him anywhere. He wasn't even taller than I was.

I was pulled out of my reverie by Spot coming up behind me and whispering in my ear "Tee, I want to introduce you to Jacky-boy. Stop staring at Racetrack before I get jealous."

"Oh, yeah spot. Sure. Introduce away." I answered ripping my eyes away from my twin. We didn't look that much alike anymore. Same color hair and height but that was about it.

"Jacky-boy, this is my girl. You've probably heard of her. Most newsies call her" I interrupted to whisper in his ear. "What was that? Oh. Most newsies and the bulls call her The Traveler."

Jack spit in his hand and held it out to shake mine. I shook without looking disgusted which made him look kind of disappointed. Manhattan never dealt with a lot of female newsies.

"So The Traveler finally graces us with her presence. I was beginning to think you had something against my Manhattan newsboys." Jack grinned.

"Yeah, well it's a personal matter," I said quietly.

"Thanks for breaking your resolve. I can tell you two that I haven't seen anybody who fits your description or heard of any fights but you've got full permission to look as long as you need to." Jack switched to serious very quickly.

Spot shook Jack's hand and walked out with me hurrying to keep up. Spot decided we'd just go back to Brooklyn and wait.

"Spot, but what if Jack just didn't see her? She could still be in Manhattan." I called, worriedly.

"What Jack Kelly doesn't hear about Manhattan ain't worth knowing Tee. He's only got one spy but his newsies are so dedicated that they observe everything. He might not know a thing about the rest of the city but he knows Manhattan." Spot shook his head. "I'm betting she just spent the night on the street. She does that sometimes. Worries all of Brooklyn to pieces."

We walked back to Brooklyn and I ended up somehow under Spot's arm the whole way home. We would've got back sooner if Spot 'd walked faster and not stopped to admire the view quite so often.

When we walked into Spot's office we were greeted by Magic who was sleeping in the desk chair.

"Tee get out of here. Magic report!" Spot barked.

I backed out the door as fast as I could. I had no wish to see Spot in a temper. I could only hope that Magic would fight back this time.