Mush almost bumped into Jack at the door of the Lodging House. "Hey, watch it." Jack growled, cradling the baby.

"Sor-ry Jack." Mush replied, raising his eyebrows. "Sumpin wrong? Hey, whatcha got there?" He asked, suddenly catching sight of the bundle in Jack's arms.

"Nuttin." Jack shoved past him into the Lodging House, followed closely by Mush, whose curiosity was aroused by Jack's reluctance to tell him what he had. When the two reached the "bedroom" upstairs that housed about 20 boys, they found it almost full due to the bad weather.

"Hey Jackie, come have a round!" called Racetrack from the box he was seated on at a makeshift table surrounded by three other boys, Skittery, Kid Blink, and Snoddy. Then he, too, noticed Jack's bundle. "Whassat Jack?" he asked, coming closer.

Jack pulled the baby close, then, realizing he couldn't hide it any longer, slowly unwrapped the blanket to reveal the little face. The baby, deriving some warmth from Jack, had fallen asleep, but now, in the sudden light, opened his eyes. Remembering its hunger and coldness, the baby began to wail-a high pitched sound that startled the rest of the boys in the room and brought them flocking around.

Instantly, Jack was barraged with questions. "Where'd it come from?" "Is it a he or she?" "Whatcha gonna do with it, Jack?" "Ugly little thing."

At this last comment, which came from Racetrack, Jack grew defensive. "He ain't ugly, he's just-just got some growin' to do, that's all. Now you guys get back, I gotta give 'im a bath."

All of the boys ignored Jack's order and crowded into the washroom behind him. They all watched as Jack carefully gave the baby a bath in one of the sinks, yelling at them whenever they made a sound. He didn't really know how to bathe a baby, but did his best, filling the sink with warm water and holding the baby with one hand so he didn't slip under the water and drown, and trying to wash him up with the other and all the while the baby screamed at the top of it's lungs.

Finally, the procedure was complete and Jack sighed with relief as he wrapped the baby in a towel. He looked down into the now clean, though sobbing, face of the baby and felt a connection to him.

"Say, what's going on here?" It was Kloppman, who had come upstairs to discover the reason for the excitement. Jack proudly displayed the baby. Instantly, a look of unsettledness passed over Kloppman's face. "Where'd ye get him Jackie?" he asked. It took Jack a second to realize why Kloppman was so uneasy. Then, as he figured it out, his eyes got big and he said, almost too loudly, "This ain't my kid, Kloppman. I found it in an alley." Kloppman studied Jack's face for several seconds, then nodded. "Alright then. What do you plan to do with him?"

Jack looked at the faces surrounding him. "Well, I'm gonna – I'll—Well, I'll keep him, that's what!" he finished triumphantly. There was a moment of silent disbelief, broken only by the now-whimpering baby, then Pie-Eater started laughing. "Whatcha, whatcha gonna name him Jack?" It wasn't long before the rest of the boys had joined him. "You, keep a baby?" Mush said, bent over from laughing. "You don't know nuthin 'bout babies."

Jack gave everyone a dirty look, then moved over to his bunk and, grabbing a blanket, wrapped the baby more tightly. Giving another look, he said, almost in a haughty tone, "His name's Pete." Then, to more laughter, he left the room. The boys broke away to whatever they had been doing before, chuckling at Jack and his baby. Crutchy stood still for a moment, then took off as fast as he could, following Jack down the stairs and out the door.

Kloppman shook his head as he made his way down to his office. Settling down in his chair, he looked out the window for a long time, then chuckled. "Boy has no idea what he's getting himself into." He muttered. Then, in a harder tone, "The kid won't be able to stay here. I'll be gettin' complaints from the other boys. A couple nights maybe, but not for good. No sir, not here..."