A/N: I still haven't thought of a title. In regards to the actual story, I think I may have switched tenses a little bit. But I have a habit of doing that. So please just bear with me, and if its really annoying you, just review or email me and I'll do my best to fix it for you.

CHAPTER 2- "Ya Gotta Eat"

"Passport?" the tall man wearing a blue police uniform asked in a thick New York accent.

"Uh, I don't have it. It was in my bag, and my bag was on the S.S. Virginia, which sank." after looking my over for a second or two, the police officer waved me on. Onto where, I really had no clue. I had no money, no clothes but the little on my back, no food, no family, and nowhere to go. My whole life had sunk with the S.S. Virginia. I heard coughing from behind me and turned around to see who what coughing. A young boy, about ten, was standing there holding a newspaper in his outstretched hand.

"Buy me last pape, miss?" I looked down on him with sad, caring eyes.

"What's your name?"

"Les"

"How old are you?" his eyes darted nervously around until they landed on a tall blonde boy.

"Uh, seven" he looked up at me pathetically, hoping I would buy his line.

"Don't lie Les, it doesn't make you the least bit honorable." I was starting to sound like my mother. Les just shrugged and said plainly,

"Ya gotta eat" as he turned around and scurried over to the blonde boy who was now standing with a slightly shorter brown curly-haired boy.

"Ya gotta eat"

I stood there watching the boys sell for a second or two and decided what I had to do. I finally got up the courage and took the first step towards them. I quickened my pace to a sprint, whizzing by them and grabbing their money out of their hands. I ran as fast as I could and for as far as I could, but these boys were fast. Well, actually, only the blonde one was fast, for the brown-haired one was slow and had poor form. I ducked into an alleyway in hopes he wouldn't find me. Well let me tell you one thing, never underestimate the street smarts of American boys. He realized right away and blocked me into the alley.

"Its not nice to steal from hard woikin' boys such as myself and my pal Dave 'ere." by this time, the one that the blonde boy had called Dave, had caught up. He was panting heavily and looked as if he was going to throw up. I laughed a little on the inside at him. I looked down at the small leaver pouch filled with coins that I held in my hand and tossed it back to him.

"Why thank you! Now, if you need money, there are betta ways to get it than robbing two poor street rats." I narrowed my eyes at the greasy-haired boy and said,

"I don't take charity. I can fend for myself." he let out a hearty laugh as he looked around then finally to me.

"You won't take our charity, but you have no problem wit takin' our money?" I rolled my eyes and tried to push past him. He was stronger than he looked and "brushing past" him was more difficult than I had figured.

"I'm Jack" I was not in the mood for pleasantries. I flicked him a thumbs up walked away.

"Hey! What's your name?" I rolled my head back so I was looking up into the cloudy sky, and wheeled around. I met his eyes and said,

"Ellie Orlesworth" he nodded thoughtfully as I walked away as if I actually had somewhere to go, and that I knew exactly where that was. I just kept walking until he was completely out of sight. I leaned against a building wall and opened up my clenched fist. Inside, there was a nice shiny nickel that I had carefully removed from Jack's pouch. But now the question was, how was I going to get that nickel to grow. I needed a job. I didn't particularly want to work in a factory, because I had heard that American factories were of much poorer quality than the ones back in England. So what other jobs were there? Other things came to mind, but the only thing that stuck was to become a newsie. It looked decent, but that would mean I would have to let Jack know that I really did need his help. Which I don't. Really.