Piker woke up when Jack shook her the next morning. She rolled over and pulled on her pants. She wondered over to the washroom and brushed her hair and washed her face. When finished washing she walked to her bunk grabbed her hat and headed down the stairs. Jack, Race, Mush, Kid Blink, and Piker all got up before the other boys this morning. They quietly exited the lodging house only pausing to tell Kloppman where they were going. They headed out into early morning New York. Nothing quite like it, Piker thought. It wasn't as crowded or noisy or dirty. She would rather sell in the morning, but not enough people were out and the paper didn't come out until later. She shrugged and hurried after Jack. They quickly made their way through the un-crowded streets. After a while they came to the Brooklyn bridge. They all stopped to lean over the edge and yell. None of them really knew why, it was sort of like tradition. Piker nodded as things started getting familiar.
"Hey, I'se 'member being here." Piker exclaimed.
"Youse should. Dis is one of de one ways to da docks. I'se didn't t'ink dat youse went one of de odda ways." Jack explained.
Piker nodded and looked around. A half-hour past since they started and now the city was coming alive. More people were out than before. Piker smiled and caught up with Racetrack. She slapped him on the back and asked
"What's Jack gonna be doin' here?"
"Tawk wit Spot mostly. Hopefully all youse heard was a hotheaded newsie."
"I'se hope so. I'se don't really want ta mess wit Brooklyn." Mush said.
Piker looked back at Mush and smiled. He looked like a mess. Piker turned back around to catch a glance at the docks. Only a little farther, she thought. She wondered what he would look like. Did he have the rugged cowboy look like Jack, or maybe the city-smart look of Racetrack. She shrugged and looked at the back of Jack's head. He turned then and met her eyes nodded and said-
"Da dock dat da lodge house is located on is right around dis corner."
"Good, I'se gettin' pretty tired." Piker complained.
"Suck it up. Youse wouldn't want a Brooklyn newsie know dat youse weak."
"Race, I'se ain't weak and youse knows it!" Piker said as she grab the boy around the neck and pulled him into a headlock.
"Uncle! Uncle! Jack done t'inkin' dat nothings wrong."
"Pika' cut it. We're almost dere."
Piker let go of Racetrack and laughed when he turned to punch her. He only grazed her arm. They started around the corner when Kid Blink whistled. The Brooklyn newsies were already up and most of them were cleaning the lodging house. It was a sight compared to their less organized lodging house. Piker and Mush exchanged looks and almost burst out laughing if Kid Blink and Jack hadn't sent them looks. All laughter died in their throats when they looked at the boys cleaning. Every single one of them was ripped beyond belief. Piker swallowed hard. They were stopped only once at the threshold of the lodging house by a huge newsie asking them where they were going. Jack told him that they had business with Spot Conlons. That seemed to appease the newsie. When they had all stepped around the newsie and made it to the stairs, Jack said to them, "Let me do da tawkin'"
Not one of them argued. They climbed the stairs in silence reserved for confession and death. They reached the second story and walked down the hallway. They stopped at the end of the hallway in front of a door. Jack knocked fast twice and once slow. He was answered with one fast and one slow knock. Jack knocked fast three times and the door was answered by the same handsome blue-eyed, dirty blonde haired boy that she tried to pickpocket. His eyes scanned the group and when they came to her they widened in surprise.
"Your Spot!" "You tried to steal from me!" Piker and Spot yelled in unison.
"Oh no, this can't be good." Racetrack muttered as he looked from Spot's accusing glare to Piker's stunned look.
