Marble woke up. She lay there for a few minutes trying to figure out why. She heard a soft noise across the room and looked for it's source. One of the boys was already up and getting ready to leave. Since she was awake now Marble decided to follow him. She got ready to leave without being noticed and slipped out the door after him with Ashes close behind.

"Hey, Dutchy, wait." He jumped and turned to see who it was. When he recognized her he stopped and waited for her to catch up then they started walking towards the Distribution Center together.

"Do you always leave this early or is it just because of me being here?"

He looked startled for a second, "Dere's nuthin' wrong wit ya, I's just a little noivous around goils."

"Why? We don't bite." She considered that for a minute, "Too hard."

He smiled down at her as they walked.

* * *

"Why'd ya decide to come wit me dis mornin'?"

The two newsies had been wandering around for most of the day and they were almost out of papers. They had learned early on that they made a great team, both being very pale and thin. Ashes also mewled pathetically whenever anyone passed. Most people bought their papes out of pity but when no one fell for it both of them just made stuff. It became a challenge for them to come up with a headline more outrageous than the other one while still remaining believable.

"You woke me up."

"Dat's it? I jist woke ya up an' decided to follow me all day?"

"That and I don't want Race to use me to bet on horses for him all of the time. He seems to think I'll keep letting him take credit for it."

"Dat sounds a lot like Race. He seems ta t'ink he's lucky." They lapsed into silence long enough to get rid of the rest of their papers. They finished at almost the same instant so Marble scooped Ashes up and they started walking back in the general direction of home.

"Hey Dutchy, how'd you become a newsie? If ya don't mind me asking that is."

"Oh, I don't mind," Dutchy took a minute to dredge it up from his memory, "Me folks wanted ta go out west when I was seven I t'ink, but dey didn't have enough money ta git t'ree tickets so I went ta stay wit me aunt an' uncle 'till dey could afford ta send for me. Well dere was a accident, da train derailed I t'ink, an' me folks was killed. Well da family I's was stayin' wit was really poor so me and Pie Eater, he's my cousin, started sellin' papes. Da center's on da oddah side a town so we moved to da Lodging House. A while back we's went ta see how da folks was doin' but dey had left and nobody knew were dey went. Da two a us've been livin' wit da newsies since den." He stopped and looked at her, "So how'd you's get ta be heah?"

Marble chewed her lip for a second then sighed, "It's only fair, but you have to promise not to tell anyone about it. I don't like people knowing, they talk if you know what I mean."

She waited until he nodded, "I'm not sure where I'm from originally, but I do remember a lot of traveling. You know trains, carriages, boats and all sorts of things like that. I think I was changing orphanages. I do know that every few years I would end up back in New York so I decided to run away and stay here the next time I got back. Well last year I made it here again, met Spot and started working in Brooklyn. After a while there was some trouble and I had to go to Queens to sell. The owner died a month ago and his replacement said no girls so I went back to Brooklyn until I got in trouble again. I swear I can't be there for more than two weeks without starting a fight."

When Marble finished they were walking next to Central Park. They went it and ran into Crutchy. They helped him finish up and went back to the lodging house. Instead of going back out and buying dinner they ate some of the food in the kitchen, and regretted it later, then they played cards until the others started coming back. It was late and most of the newsies wanted to sleep so the lights were put out and everyone who didn't agree, including the cat, was sent out to the roof.

Before she fell asleep Marble rolled over and called to Dutchy in the next bunk, "Let's sell together tomorrow, it was fun."

Dutchy smiled at her, "Sure, we make a great team."

* * *

It was early again when Dutchy, Marble and Ashes left, so nobody saw them go. Since the Distribution Center wasn't open yet they sat in the square and talked for a while. "Dutchy, you're a really nice guy, why don't you have a girl?"

"I's told ya yesterday, goils make me noivous" Dutchy blushed a little and became very interested in his dusty old shoes.

Marble looked at him for a second then accused him, "You do like someone, tell me who she is."

Dutchy was jumped but he admitted, "Dere's dis little restaurant down da street an' da owner's daughta is an angel. She's real sweet, an' beautiful, she even buys me papes sometimes." he sighed, "I's jist can't talk ta someone dat poifect."

Marble smiled and jumped to her feet, "So where is this place?"

He gave her a suspicious look but he still lead her a few blocks away to a small building crouching on a corner. The restaurant had a handful of empty tables set up out front under an canopy. Marble grabbed Dutchy's hand and lead him to one of the tables, kitten following close behind. After a minute a young blond girl around sixteen came out to serve them and, by the way he was blushing and staring at the table top, Marble could tell that this was the girl he liked.

She smiled at the two newsies and asked if they wanted anything. Her cheeks were flushed and she kept glancing at Dutchy out of the corner of her eye. A shy smile played across her lips.

Marble grinned and bounced out of her seat, "Did you know that my friend Dutchy here was the leader in the strike against the World last year?" Dutchy gave her a shocked look but had to turn his attention to the awestruck girl who sank into the seat across from him. He was trying to explain that it wasn't exactly true while Marble ran off, laughing to herself. Halfway down the block she realized that Ashes had stayed at the table like the lousy little freeloader he was.

* * * In the square the clanging of the circulation bell was fading from the air and Jack's daily fight with the Delancys was winding down. Marble caught him as he was slipping through the gates.

"Heya Jack, I was wondering about something."

"Sure, what's on ya mind?"

"Well I know I came here to get outta Brooklyn, but do ya think it would be alright if I went to the poker game tonight anyway?"

"Ain't nobody stoppin' ya, an' besides we's gonna all be dere so none a dem can hoit ya."

"They can't hurt me, I just don't wanna cause any trouble."

Jack laughed, "Well if ya comin' yous gonna want ta get a couple less papes taday, so we can git dere on time."

"Are you getting less?"

"Naw, I's good enough ta sell just as many in half a da time." He put down fifty cents for his papers.

"I'm taking that as a challenge." She smacked down her own half dollar and said, "First one outta papes, me, goes ta Tibby's and waits for the loser, you, to buy them dinner."

Jack laughed again as he picked up his papers, "Spot was right, all yous think about is food."

They shook hands and headed down the street in opposite directions. Marble called over her shoulder, "Oh, Cowboy, don't make me wait too long."

* * *

Marble was walking towards Tibby's as fast as she could go without actually running. It was just after one o'clock and it was the fastest she had ever sold a hundred papes. As she rounded the corner she saw Jack at the other end of the block. He saw her at the same time and they both froze for a split second then took off running towards the restaurant.

Both of them hit the door at the same time and grabbed for the handle. They were tried to force each other out of the way and get through the door first. Marble kicked down on the back of Jack's knee and jumped through the door when his legs buckled under him. She spun around and yelled Ha, as he picked himself up.

Her smug expression faded when she turned to face a room full of newsies who were just staring at them both blankly. The pair glanced at each other and got really hoity-toity looks on their faces then linked arms and strolled to an empty table like they owned the place.

The sat down and managed to keep straight faces for just about ten seconds before their eyes met and they both cracked up. They were banging on the table and clutching their sides, trying to stop their eyes from watering. Everybody in the restaurant remained completely quiet and just stared at them until Marble fell out of her seat from laughing too hard. Then the boys, and some of the waiters, exploded with hysterical laughter.