Here it is! dun dun DUN: Chapter 5!!!!!!! Hope you like!

Race and Artist were not at Tibby's the next day. His feeling of foreboding intensified. He was worried about what he had seen the night before. 'Is Race really cheating on Pinch?' He thought. Well, there was no alternative, was there? He would simply have to accept the fact that he was. And it wasn't like any of this affected him. Not at all. He didn't need to worry about this.

But he did.

He worried about Race that way. He couldn't explain it, it just happened. Especially if whatever worried him didn't include him. He felt silly, worrying about him like this. He had tried not to, but he always ended up thinking about it.

He sat eating at one of the tables with Mush, Jack, Blink, and a few other newsies. He had almost finished his sandwich when, to his very great surprise, Pinch came over to the table and asked Crutchy quietly, so as none of the others would hear, "I need to talk to ya."

Crutchy nodded, somewhat surprised. She beckoned to him and he followed her into a corner.

"It's about Race an' Artist," she said in a low undertone. "They'se has been disappearin' lately. I guess ya noticed dat already."

Crutchy nodded, wondering where she was going with this.

"I'se been thinkin'," she said slowly. Race hasn't told me nothin' 'bout dis, so I'm gonna take matta's in ta my own hands."

"What'd ya talkin' about?" Crutchy asked.

"I'se gonna go spyin' on dem, stupid. I'm gonna find out where dere really goin'. Dey ain't goin' ta no track, dat's fer sure."

"Pinch-,"Crutchy said reproachfully.

Pinch interrupted him. "Ya know it's true, Crutchy. You wanna know what dere doin' just as bad as me, don't ya?"

Crutchy blushed and said nothing.

"Dat's what I thought." She said. "Look, I'm goin' ta follow dem tomorrow an' I want you ta come wit' me. I wasn't gonna ask ya before cause of yer crutch an' all. I don't where dey's is goin'. It might be far, and we might lose 'em 'cause a' you. You might slow me down or get me caught or-,"

"I get it Pinch," Crutchy said coolly interrupting her line of reasons of why he would ruin her plan. Well, he'd show her. "I'll come. We'll go tomorrow. Dere's no morning edition on Sunday.

Pinch grinned. "Good. I'm ready to find out what they're up to."

Crutchy's insides lurched. He had not told anyone about what he had seen last night. He hoped Pinch wouldn't feel too heartbroken when she found out. He hated to do this to her, but he couldn't tell her. No, it would be better if she found it out for herself.

"C'mon Travis!" shouted Elliot. It was a warm day. Children shouted and laughed as they played in the streets. Travis O'Brien and his best friend Elliot were heading over to the huddle of boys at the center of an ally way. They sat on the ground in a circle, playing marbles on the ground. Travis and Elliot ran over to them.

"How's it goin' South?" Travis asked a boy sitting on the edge of a chalk drawn circle.

"Not so good," he said. I've lost three cat's eyes all ready."

Travis smirked as South flicked his marble towards a shiny, gray marble, but missed and his marble went right through the center of the chalk circle, stopping outside of it. "Gosh South, that was an easy one," he said.

"Oh ya? Let's see if you play as well as you talk."

Travis bent down to the ground. He carefully put his fingers next to the marbles and shot one directly across from it. It hit the marble with a 'clinck' and shot the other marble clearly out of the circle.

Travis stood up smiling, apparently quite happy with himself.

"We should start callin' him Shooter, the way he can play," said a scrawny black boy called Nix.

"I like that," said South. "How about you, Shooter?"

"Sounds good to me," said Shooter, obviously pleased with his new nickname.

"Shooter it is," said Elliot.

And after a couple more rounds of marbles, the boys gathered there things and headed home for supper, Shooter the proudest, sporting his new nickname.

A/N: Shout outs:

Shooter O'Brien: Sorry, I had to change his backround on the nickname. I tried to get the pool thing in, but marbles seemed close enough. I hope you don't mind.

Daydream: Glad you like my story. Thanks so much for reviewing. It's good to know I have people waiting in anxiety!!!!!

LadyRach: Thanks for reviewing! It's nice to hear your thoughts! I luv it!

Next chappie might not come as fast as the last 2, but it'll be up, don't worry.