"So, we aren't sellin' papes taday?" Fantasy questioned as Torn shook her head.
" Nah, made enough off dat judge last night, don't need ta sell." Torn smiled pulling a handful of cash out of her pocket.
" Dat's gotta be like five bucks!" Fantasy screaked, looking over at the money and then up at Torn who just laughed.
" Try ten," Torn smiled as the two kept walking, with Elizabeth behind them.
" Wow," Fantasy replied in awe, looking back at Elizabeth. " Hey, Latch, what'dya think 'bout Torn's newly accquired riches?" Fantasy survied.
" Riches?" Elizabeth let out a small laugh, shaking her head. " That's pocket change for me," Elizabeth replied. " It used to be too, for her, until she ran away," Elizabeth stressed as Torn shot her an evil look, her ice blue eyes looking as though they could pierce Elizabeth.
" Come on, Brooklyn ain't too far off," Torn shrugged, pulling Fantasy along as Elizabeth frowned and looked down.
" Watch where ya going!" a voice called out as Elizabeth looked up in time to move out of the way of a young girl that was running by. " Damn, ya blind o' something?" she asked again, staring at Elizabeth coldly.
" Sorry, I didn't..." Elizabeth started as the girl turned around.
" Fantasy, Torn, how ya doing?" the girl smiled at them walking over.
" Pretty good, Stretch, how 'bout you? How's da sellin' ta day?" Torn questioned as the three girls spit in their hands and shook hands with Stretch.
" Not too good, we ain't selling no more," Stretch smiled, showing her empty hands.
" Why not?" Fantasy asked, her eyes growing wide, wondering if Stretch had turned herself into a prostitute like Torn.
" Jack Kelly says no one sells papes. World's trying ta jack up da prices. It ain't going so well," Stretch frowned, kicking at the stones. " But Kloppman's being nice ta da fellas 'dough, he's letting dem stay without charge. Say's he won't make any money if dey all starve ta death. He figures dat Jack's got a real plan going on." Stetch nearly shrugged. " I's just wish dat Kloppman would have a talk wit Gibby," Stretch shook her head. "Ain't cuttin' any o' da newsgoils a break."
" You stay at Gibby's too?" Elizabeth asked, wondering why she hadn't seen her last night or that morning.
" Sure do. We's stay in da bunkroom across from ya. Medda's goils get dare own bunkroom. Incase one o' dem has a caller. So, where ya headed too?" Stretch questioned.
" Brooklyn," Torn replied, flatting out her black skirt and brushing some of her raven hair out of her face.
" Well, look foah da Cowboy an' his new Walking Mouth. I's think Boots is wit 'em too. They was heading ovah ta talk ta Spot Conlon." Stretch imformed them.
" Really? So Boots ain't afraid o' Brooklyn now?" Torn smiled. " It'll be nice ta introduce dem ta Latch here," she pointed to Elizabeth. Stretch nodded.
" Well, I have ta get going. I got a lot of stuff da do. I got some goils ta talk ta 'bout da strike."
" Dat big, huh?" Fantasy asked.
" We's getting da whole city in dis. It'll be like da trolly strike," Stretch smiled. "Take care, I's gotta meet up with Snitch," Stretch smiled as Torn's eyes grew wide.
" Snitch?" Torn blushed.
" I'll tell 'im ya said hi," Stretch smiled, walking passed Elizabeth and sticking her nose up at her.
" Why would Boots be afraid of Brooklyn?" Elizabeth asked as they were heading closer towards the Brooklyn Bridge, which was about a mile away now.
" Spot Conlon an' da rest o' da Brooklyn newsies, are...well, rough," Torn explained. " Most o' everyone is either afraid o' Spot 'imsef, o' his right-hand-man, Grafter. O' course, da rest o' his boids are just as bad, but Spot an' Graft are two boys ya don't want ta mess with," Torn explained as they headed towards the Brooklyn docks.
" Torn, what ya doing here?" a voice called out, which made Elizabeth jump slightly.
"Cowboy," Torn smiled turning around and hugging the taller of the boys who was wearing a cowboy hat and a red bandana. " We's was just gonna go see if we's could find Lookout in Brooklyn." Torn replied, once again brushing her raven hair out of her face.
" Well, I'd like ya ta meet me new pal, David, o' as some o' us like ta call him, da Walking Mouth. Come here, Dave." Jack motioned as another tall boy, dressed in blue and brown walked over, his warm baby blues sparkling.
" Hi," David smiled, shaking Torn and Fantasy's hand.
" I'm afraid, Dave, dat I' can't introduce ya ta dis beauty here. I'm afraid I don't know you, though you look familiar." Jack smiled, taking his hat off as Elizabeth swallowed and looked over at David and blushed.
" Dis is Elizabeth, o' Latch as we call her. She's one o' my childhood friends. Her she lost her parents at the train station, wouldn't let her on." Torn said, pulling Elizabeth close to her by her shoulders.
" Nice ta meet ya. A friend o' Torn's is a friend o' mine," Jack smiled shaking her hand. " David, Elizabeth. O' do ya like Latch bettah?" Jack asked.
" It doesn't matter," Elizabeth smiled as David took her hand.
" It's a pleasure, to meet all of you," David smiled.
" Wait you don't have a street accent," Elizabeth pointed out as David smiled, and looked down.
" I'm not a newsie...well, I am now, but I'm not..." David started, as Jack cut him off.
" He's not a street rat." Jack explained. " Went ta school and everthing. Then his pop got hurt." David nodded.
" Oh," Elizabeth looked down. " I'm sorry."
" Well, you don't have an accent either," David pointed out.
" That's because she's rich. Came from a wealthy family." Torn smiled. " like meself, only I's been gone foah so long, that I's got the street accent down." She winked at Jack and Fantasy.
" Huh, Jack, I hate to cut dis short," Boots stepped in, looking around ancously. " But I think da fellas are waiting foah us," he said.
" Ya right Boots. Sorry ta cut dis short. Maybe we'll see ya at Medda's tonight," Jack smile as he waved and lead them away, Elizabeth and David blushing at each other as they both turned to leave.
" Well? What ya think?" Torn asked, smiling knowing what Elizabeth was going to say.
" That David, he's cute," Elizabeth smiled, as Torn nearly choked.
" Ya mean, ya don't fancy Jack?" she asked shooked as Elizabeth shook her head. " God, just 'bout everyone fancy's Jack the first time they meet him. I did, but then I found Snitch," she smiled.
" You're boyfriend?" Elizabeth asked.
" She wishes," Fantasy smiled with a laugh.
" Come on, we're almost to Brooklyn," Torn replied angrly, and storming across the Brooklyn Bridge.