The 1st passenger car of the New York City train bound for Chicago was
somewhat silent as Cray and Swan stared at their visitors in shock. The
silence didn't last long as Kit began to laugh at the surprised looks of
her cousins. "Cray come on snap out of it. It's just Spot and Tack." Kit
sat in the protective arms of her boyfriend, looking at her cousins shocked
faces.
"Ise can't believe it, Spot Conlon why in the world did youse come after this goil? She is nothing but trouble." Mills was the first to respond and she did so with total jesting and a wink.
"Well youse know my nephews are mighty attached to their teacher. Ise couldn't just let her go." Spot answered, which caused everyone but Tack to look at him with surprise.
"N-n-nephews?" Mills got out.
"Yes Miss Stutters, nephews. At least Ise think they are. They're the right age and stuff. Me sister never introduced me to her kids but Ise knew she had twins. She died the same day wes found Bait and Jolly in the street."
"Don't call me Stutters Mr. Conlon. Youse remember what happened to the last guy that did that?" Mills spit back, her cheeks flushed with anger.
Cray grabbed a hold of his fiancé's arm, "Now Mills don't hurt him, for all you know he could end up family."
Mills gave Cray a dirty look, "Well Spot just don't call me Stutters got it?"
"Fine, no more stutters, even though it did fit youse." Spot said. Mills lunged at him but was caught by Cray and Swan.
"Mills calm down you can throw him off the train later." When Mills had slightly calmed down Swan released her arm, "So what is with the name anyway?"
Spot looked at Mills for permission to tell the story. She barely nodded her head as she sat down in Cray's lap. Everyone else sat down too. "Well the nickname, which Ise ain't gonna repeat came from when Mills first came to the Manhattan newsies. See she disguised herself as a boy and when she lowered her voice she stuttered. Mush figured it was a good name and she was called it till they's realized she was a goil. Jack let her pick a new one after that. She chose Mills."
Kit looked at Mills as if trying to picture her dressed as a guy. "I can't picture you as a guy Mills."
"Ise cut me hair and Ise wasn't as.developed." Mills explained.
"So how did they figure out you was a girl?" Cray leaned his chin on her shoulder.
"Ise kinda got knocked out during a fight with the Delancy's and they found out when they took me to the doctor to get fixed up." Mills blushed but didn't elaborate.
"Ise gotta tell youse, when Jacky-boy found out he was not a happy camper. When he found out that Kloppman, Medda and her cousin Bryon knew he flipped out." Spot reminisced.
Mills smiled slightly, "Only cause Ise made him flip over the bed when Ise hit him." She saw Kit's confused look and guessed correctly that it was mirrored on Cray, Swan and Tack's faces. "Jack was the reason Ise got put in the Refuge for two years. The warden was chasing him and since Ise was running at the same time Ise got caught when Jack went under a table. Ise vowed that Ise was gonna soak him if Ise ever got the chance." She shrugged, "Ise did too. The only time Ise ever got to soak him too."
"I always wanted to do that," Kit mused.
"OH really?" Spot looked at her surprised.
"Yeah Jack always seemed so full of himself. If I could have soaked him I think I would feel a lot better." Kit said leaning her head on Spot's shoulder.
"Youse can have the chance when wes go home." Spot assured her. "So what are wes gonna do about the twin and little girl problem?"
"What problem would that be Spot?" Cray asked.
"Well see the twins and Tack's sisters decided to come get Kit on their own. Wes figure they got ta be on this here train somewhere but wes don't know where."
"Maybe they's on a boxcar somewhere." Mills suggested.
"How do youse supposed wes find that out." Spot looked at the smaller girl.
"Ise don't know just wait till they get found Ise guess. Ise mean they got ta unload everything in Chicago any way."
"Well how we gonna pay for their tickets if we do find them. We only got enough to pay for tickets for ourselves out to Nebraska." Swan pointed out.
"Youse said wes got enough for 2 other people, Ise thought." Mills countered. "And little kids don't cost the same as wes do."
"Well wes got some money to pay for what ever youse can't pay for." Spot spoke up from the other end of the car. He motioned for Tack to give him the small bag that Kosei had given him. "Wes just got to sell this stuff, that's all." He spoke as he opened the bag and dumped out 2 rings and a necklace along with a lot of coins. "Kosei gave this to us said wes could use it."
The rings and necklaces were the same ones that Kit had found the night she had gone through boxes at the bunkhouse. "There is a lot of money here, almost 10 bucks, plus some of the coins are really old and are probably worth something to someone. Ise wanna keep the rings and necklaces if wes can though. Kosei might want them back still." Spot stated as he put it all back into the bag and put in around his neck. He thought about something then pulled another cord from around his neck, and put it around Kit's neck. "Ise wanna give this to youse before Ise forget."
Kit picked up the end of the necklace, it was a key, "What is it for?"
Spot leaned over and whispered into her ear. "It's the key to me heart." Kit blushed but leaned back against his shoulder murmuring a low "oh."
Unfortunately all tender moments come to an end and theirs was interrupted by a not so discrete cough. "Hey we are in Chicago and we got ta get off the train." Swan said trying not to look at either Spot or Kit, knowing they were sending him death looks. Every one gathered their things and they soon disembarked the train. Cray and Spot went to go buy more tickets while the girls and Swan waited to see what would happen when the boxcars were unloaded.
On the boxcar the children felt the train come to a stop. It had rained the first night they spent in the car and they had been conserving water the entire trip. They hid behind the boxes as they had every time the train had stopped. They stayed hidden as they heard the doors being opened.
"So Mac I hear Chicago winters can get rough."
"Yeah Sam real rough. Good thing we still got a couple of months, even though it has been getting cold. This stuff will be good though, my wife told me to make sure I got us a milk can, said ours was starting to leak something awful."
"Hey what's this? Mac this box's been opened."
"So has this one. You don't think there may be someone in this car do you?"
"Yeah I wonder. Hey there's a good hiding place here."
"It's really small though, hey is that a shoe?"
"Hey you come out here now."
The laborers saw the shoe go under the hay and decided to go after it. One reached in and quickly retracted his hand. "Something bit me."
"Well it ain't a rat bite too big, I think there's kids in there."
Two hands plunged in and pulled out Two Bit who began to scream. Her extraction brought Jolly out swinging whom Bait and Lacy soon followed.
"Hey Mac they're kids all under 10. Who are you kid."
"Give me back me sister." Jolly demanded.
"Nope not till you tell me who you are."
"Not telling Ise want me sister." Jolly grabbed for Two Bit but the man pulled her out of his reach.
"Hey Sam that's a New York accent. I bet you these kids got on in the city."
"Wes just playing hide and seek and the goils climbed in, we climbed in after them. Then the door slammed shut. Where's Spot." Bait started to cry which started Lacy and Two Bit. Jolly stood stoically waiting for Sam to put Two Bit down.
"I'll take these children sir." Swan came up behind the laborer's putting his finger to his lips before the children could call out his name. "I am sure they will get back to their Spot."
The laborer named Mac looked at Swan. "Sure take them, maybe they'll shut up for you."
"Come on children, we will make sure you have some food then we'll make sure you get home." Swan took Two Bit from Sam's arms and took Lacy's hand.
"Hold it mister, Ise forgot something." Jolly halted Swan's movement toward the girls as he went back quickly to the boxcar. He climbed up and soon was back with 2 small packs of clothing. "Can't forget this." Swan tried not to smile at the looks of surprise on the laborer's faces as he led the kids off to their respective caretakers.
"Ise can't believe it, Spot Conlon why in the world did youse come after this goil? She is nothing but trouble." Mills was the first to respond and she did so with total jesting and a wink.
"Well youse know my nephews are mighty attached to their teacher. Ise couldn't just let her go." Spot answered, which caused everyone but Tack to look at him with surprise.
"N-n-nephews?" Mills got out.
"Yes Miss Stutters, nephews. At least Ise think they are. They're the right age and stuff. Me sister never introduced me to her kids but Ise knew she had twins. She died the same day wes found Bait and Jolly in the street."
"Don't call me Stutters Mr. Conlon. Youse remember what happened to the last guy that did that?" Mills spit back, her cheeks flushed with anger.
Cray grabbed a hold of his fiancé's arm, "Now Mills don't hurt him, for all you know he could end up family."
Mills gave Cray a dirty look, "Well Spot just don't call me Stutters got it?"
"Fine, no more stutters, even though it did fit youse." Spot said. Mills lunged at him but was caught by Cray and Swan.
"Mills calm down you can throw him off the train later." When Mills had slightly calmed down Swan released her arm, "So what is with the name anyway?"
Spot looked at Mills for permission to tell the story. She barely nodded her head as she sat down in Cray's lap. Everyone else sat down too. "Well the nickname, which Ise ain't gonna repeat came from when Mills first came to the Manhattan newsies. See she disguised herself as a boy and when she lowered her voice she stuttered. Mush figured it was a good name and she was called it till they's realized she was a goil. Jack let her pick a new one after that. She chose Mills."
Kit looked at Mills as if trying to picture her dressed as a guy. "I can't picture you as a guy Mills."
"Ise cut me hair and Ise wasn't as.developed." Mills explained.
"So how did they figure out you was a girl?" Cray leaned his chin on her shoulder.
"Ise kinda got knocked out during a fight with the Delancy's and they found out when they took me to the doctor to get fixed up." Mills blushed but didn't elaborate.
"Ise gotta tell youse, when Jacky-boy found out he was not a happy camper. When he found out that Kloppman, Medda and her cousin Bryon knew he flipped out." Spot reminisced.
Mills smiled slightly, "Only cause Ise made him flip over the bed when Ise hit him." She saw Kit's confused look and guessed correctly that it was mirrored on Cray, Swan and Tack's faces. "Jack was the reason Ise got put in the Refuge for two years. The warden was chasing him and since Ise was running at the same time Ise got caught when Jack went under a table. Ise vowed that Ise was gonna soak him if Ise ever got the chance." She shrugged, "Ise did too. The only time Ise ever got to soak him too."
"I always wanted to do that," Kit mused.
"OH really?" Spot looked at her surprised.
"Yeah Jack always seemed so full of himself. If I could have soaked him I think I would feel a lot better." Kit said leaning her head on Spot's shoulder.
"Youse can have the chance when wes go home." Spot assured her. "So what are wes gonna do about the twin and little girl problem?"
"What problem would that be Spot?" Cray asked.
"Well see the twins and Tack's sisters decided to come get Kit on their own. Wes figure they got ta be on this here train somewhere but wes don't know where."
"Maybe they's on a boxcar somewhere." Mills suggested.
"How do youse supposed wes find that out." Spot looked at the smaller girl.
"Ise don't know just wait till they get found Ise guess. Ise mean they got ta unload everything in Chicago any way."
"Well how we gonna pay for their tickets if we do find them. We only got enough to pay for tickets for ourselves out to Nebraska." Swan pointed out.
"Youse said wes got enough for 2 other people, Ise thought." Mills countered. "And little kids don't cost the same as wes do."
"Well wes got some money to pay for what ever youse can't pay for." Spot spoke up from the other end of the car. He motioned for Tack to give him the small bag that Kosei had given him. "Wes just got to sell this stuff, that's all." He spoke as he opened the bag and dumped out 2 rings and a necklace along with a lot of coins. "Kosei gave this to us said wes could use it."
The rings and necklaces were the same ones that Kit had found the night she had gone through boxes at the bunkhouse. "There is a lot of money here, almost 10 bucks, plus some of the coins are really old and are probably worth something to someone. Ise wanna keep the rings and necklaces if wes can though. Kosei might want them back still." Spot stated as he put it all back into the bag and put in around his neck. He thought about something then pulled another cord from around his neck, and put it around Kit's neck. "Ise wanna give this to youse before Ise forget."
Kit picked up the end of the necklace, it was a key, "What is it for?"
Spot leaned over and whispered into her ear. "It's the key to me heart." Kit blushed but leaned back against his shoulder murmuring a low "oh."
Unfortunately all tender moments come to an end and theirs was interrupted by a not so discrete cough. "Hey we are in Chicago and we got ta get off the train." Swan said trying not to look at either Spot or Kit, knowing they were sending him death looks. Every one gathered their things and they soon disembarked the train. Cray and Spot went to go buy more tickets while the girls and Swan waited to see what would happen when the boxcars were unloaded.
On the boxcar the children felt the train come to a stop. It had rained the first night they spent in the car and they had been conserving water the entire trip. They hid behind the boxes as they had every time the train had stopped. They stayed hidden as they heard the doors being opened.
"So Mac I hear Chicago winters can get rough."
"Yeah Sam real rough. Good thing we still got a couple of months, even though it has been getting cold. This stuff will be good though, my wife told me to make sure I got us a milk can, said ours was starting to leak something awful."
"Hey what's this? Mac this box's been opened."
"So has this one. You don't think there may be someone in this car do you?"
"Yeah I wonder. Hey there's a good hiding place here."
"It's really small though, hey is that a shoe?"
"Hey you come out here now."
The laborers saw the shoe go under the hay and decided to go after it. One reached in and quickly retracted his hand. "Something bit me."
"Well it ain't a rat bite too big, I think there's kids in there."
Two hands plunged in and pulled out Two Bit who began to scream. Her extraction brought Jolly out swinging whom Bait and Lacy soon followed.
"Hey Mac they're kids all under 10. Who are you kid."
"Give me back me sister." Jolly demanded.
"Nope not till you tell me who you are."
"Not telling Ise want me sister." Jolly grabbed for Two Bit but the man pulled her out of his reach.
"Hey Sam that's a New York accent. I bet you these kids got on in the city."
"Wes just playing hide and seek and the goils climbed in, we climbed in after them. Then the door slammed shut. Where's Spot." Bait started to cry which started Lacy and Two Bit. Jolly stood stoically waiting for Sam to put Two Bit down.
"I'll take these children sir." Swan came up behind the laborer's putting his finger to his lips before the children could call out his name. "I am sure they will get back to their Spot."
The laborer named Mac looked at Swan. "Sure take them, maybe they'll shut up for you."
"Come on children, we will make sure you have some food then we'll make sure you get home." Swan took Two Bit from Sam's arms and took Lacy's hand.
"Hold it mister, Ise forgot something." Jolly halted Swan's movement toward the girls as he went back quickly to the boxcar. He climbed up and soon was back with 2 small packs of clothing. "Can't forget this." Swan tried not to smile at the looks of surprise on the laborer's faces as he led the kids off to their respective caretakers.