Chapter 11

Alex stared up at the stars after Jack went inside to fix up the bed that they were gonna sleep in.

"I wish I could tell 'im dat me last name was Roosevelt…" he said to himself.

"You're a Roosevelt!" a voice exclaimed. Alex spun around.

"Crutchy! Oh, please, Crutchy, keep dat a secret!" he exclaimed. Crutchy put his hand over his heart, and said, "Don' worry, Alex. I won' tell a soul. I swear." Alex smiled, and said, "Tanks, Crutchy." Jack came jogging through the door, saying, "Your bed's ready, Alex." Alex nodded, and said, "G'night, Crutchy."

"G'night, Alex." Alex followed Jack down the steps, and to the bed.

Alex pried his eyes open the next morning, yawning, and shoved Jack's feet out of his face, which knocked Jack halfway off the bed. He dropped to the floor, and looked up at her, saying, "Tanks, Alex." He waved him off, and rolled over. Jack shook him, saying, "Wake up, you'se gotta get dressed, and come down to sell papes." Alex began to sit up, and looked over at him, saying, "Aight, aight, gimme a minute." He hopped off the bunk, and walked into the back room where he changed his clothes, then walked out and washed his face, and went back to the bed to put on his shoes. Then he stood up and looked around, and almost dropped his jaw. Never in Emily's life had she ever seen so many guys in their underwear. Quickly regaining himself, Alex headed to the door, and waited for Jack out there.

Jack and Alex headed down the steps, and out into the street, where Jack pulled his papes up on his shoulder, and said, "Go ahead and tell me a headline you can use or change." Alex stared at the paper in his hand, and looked back up at Jack.

"Mayor Raises Prices of Carriage Rides?" Alex asked.

"Now altah it to ya own likin'," Jack said, smiling.

"What about Mayor Jacks Up Carriage Ride Prices?" he asked. Jack nodded, and said, "Good. Now, let's go sell em." Alex smiled and followed Jack downtown to sell all their papes.

"Good job taday, Alex…" Jack said as he counted their money.

"What?" he asked.

"We don' have enough to get sometin ta eat, I mean, when ya take out what we need to get our papes tamarra," Jack said, looking up.

"Den what do we do about dinnah?" Jack looked over, and began to eye a food stand.

"What?" he asked. Jack began over, and said quietly to Alex, "Just grab something small and run." Jack pocketed a small roll, and Alex pocketed an apple, and they just wondered off.

"Hey! Come back here with my food!" the man cried. Someone spun around and began to blow a whistle.

"Run!" Jack cried, and he and Alex began to run off, as quickly as possible. Alex, unfortunately, got his foot caught in a hole in the ground, and tripped.

"Jack!" he cried. Jack ran back and pulled Alex up, but never got the chance to start running again. The bulls grabbed a hold of them before they could move an inch. Alex closed his eyes, and just let the bulls take them to the refuge.

Alex and Jack sat on one of the beds, Alex with his legs crossed in front of him, and said, "Jack, I'm sorry…"

"Dat's aight," Jack said. Alex pulled himself off the bed and walked over to the window.

"No, it's not, Jack…" He trailed off as he saw Teddy's carriage down below.

"Jack! Grab your things and come 'ere!" Alex hissed. Jack grabbed his possessions and headed over. "What?"

"Can you get outta here?"

"Through da window?"

"Yeah."

"Yup. Why?"

"When you get out, I'll lower you down and you hide behind my papa's carriage down there. When he comes out, you ask him for a ride. Tell him you're a pal a mine, aight?" Alex asked. Jack nodded. Alex held tightly onto the rope as Jack scaled down the wall to the carriage. Alex dropped the rope, and watched Jack hide. He waited until Jack was going off with Teddy before he looked around. Making sure Warden Snyder wasn't around, Alex quickly changed his clothes, and, leaving his robe on the bed, slid between the bars on the window and scaled the wall so he stood gripping the bricks that stuck out of the wall so he didn't fall. Being very careful, Alex put one foot on a jutted brick, then, placing his hand on one above his head, pulled himself up, and repeated it over and over until he pulled himself over the roof. Silently, Alex ran across the roof, down the other side, and ran off in the direction of the lodging house, keeping out of eye shot.

Jack stood in the shadows about a block from the boarding house, and, when he saw Alex start by, grabbed his arm and pulled him over.

"Jack…" he began.

"Alex, how did you get out? I thought you'd be coming with me," he said. Alex shook his head. "Nope. I scaled da wall, ran 'cross da roof, then down the uddah side," he said, smiling. Jack wrapped his arms around Emily and pulled her close, saying, "I'm gladja aight." Emily kissed his cheek, saying, "Don' worry. I can take care of me self, you know dat now, dontcha?" He nodded, and said, "C'mon, we'se gotta get back to the lodgin house before everyone starts ta worry." Jack looked both ways, grabbed Alex's hand, and they raced back to the lodging house.