Skittery paused in mid step- so quickly that Kid Blink and Mush had no time to stop, and rammed into him at full speed. They collapsed in a cursing heap in front of the bakery.
"What the hell, Skittery?" Blink yowled, extracting himself from the tangle of arms and limbs, collecting his papers where they had scattered across the wet sidewalk.
Skittery crawled over to the bakery window, peering inside. "I'm goin' crazy."
"Finally," Mush chuckled, "The rest of us have known that for a while."
Skittery beckoned him over to the window, and Mush obliged with a roll of his eyes.
"D' you see her?" Skittery whispered.
"Who?" Blink asked from the curb, shuffling his papers and crouching down beside them.
"The girl behind the baker."
Blink narrowed his eyes, "Skittery, how can you see around the baker?"
Mush nodded appreciatively. "Not bad for a dirt poor immigrant."
"You saw her," Skittery breathed, "I'm not crazy."
"I still can't see around the baker," Blink growled, shoving his face between Skittery and Mush. After another moment of squinting with his one good eye, he made a noise of realization. "Pretty…but so very Italian!"
Mush leaned forward again, and then twisted his mouth as he formed a new opinion. "You know, Skit, her face looks hoity-toity-" He fended off Skittery's accusatory gaze, "Lookit her nose! It's all pointy and important!"
"What are you'se bozos staring at?" Racetrack's heavy accent made the three boys head's whip around, and suddenly the other boy found himself dragged down to the sidewalk, three sets of hands plastered over his mouth.
"The baker's got a new assistant," Skittery explained in a low voice.
"So?"
"So look at 'er!" Skittery urged.
Race gave them a 'dear god you are stupid' look, and peeped into the window. His face smoothed out, though, when he caught sight of the assistant, and his eyes widened. "You didn't say it was a Sicilian girl!" He choked out, and Kid Blink cocked his head to one side.
"How'd you know that, Race?"
Racetrack stood up again, seemingly recovered from his surprise. "What'sit to you, Blink? We's got papes to sell, fellas."
Mush stood up, lending Blink a hand. Skittery glanced at the girl longingly one last time, and then followed the other boys.
"Carryin' the banner." He sighed.