Chapter 2

After several hours of nonstop walking, Rory felt like her legs were going to collapse beneath her. The weight of her bags made her arms feel like lead. And yet her guide didn't stop to give her rest or the benefit of something to eat. It was long since sundown, and the boy was eager to get rid of his charge and get home before it got any later. When Rory started to lag rather far behind the blond boy, he stopped and planted his balled fists on his hips in exasperating impatience.

"Come on goily! We's almost there! Just a few more feet before we's gets there!"

Rory took a deep breath and forced her exhausted legs to go faster. She reached the impatient boy and gave him a nod that meant she could make it. He whirled on his heel and headed toward a green doorway with a sign over the top that read 'Newsboys Lodging House.' The boy bounded up the stairs already forgetting about her as in his hurry toward warmth and dinner.

Rory paused outside the door to straighten her wrinkled skirt and tuck several unruly red curls behind her ears before using her shoulder to open the door. Inside were many boys. Some were as dirty or more so then the boy who led her there. They all stopped their chattering and joking when she stepped inside. In one quick movement, every hat was off in respect and many pairs of eyes were trained upon the blushing beauty before them.

Rory ducked her head in embarrassment at the stares. She watched through her long lashes as the blonde boy walked up to a tall handsome boy with a red bandanna around his neck and cowboy hat in his hands. Blondie said some low words to the cowboy and pointed in her direction. Rory felt especially embarrassed. How did she know that her brother was here? Maybe he was dead or running away again or –

A throat being cleared in front of her interrupted her panicky thoughts. Rory lifted her eyes from studying her shoes to meet the warm brown eyes of the cowboy.

"'Scuse me, miss, but Spot 'ere says that youse lookin' for ya brudda. Is dat right?"

"Aye, that be right, laddie. Me brother wrote me sayin' that 'e be stayin' at this place. The lad, Spot, was kind enough to show me the way."

The cowboy chuckled when she called him and the other boy 'lads.' "What be youse brudda's name?"

"Petey O'Moore."

"Does he have a nickname, miss?"

"Nay, not that I be knowin' of."

The cowboy stood up straight and stared toward the backdoor when it opened to show a short, curly haired boy rooted in the doorway with his mouth gaping like a fish.

"'ey Cowboy, whose da dame?"

Rory's head came up with a snap at the voice behind her. Spinning around to face the boy behind her, a wide grin of amazement and happiness spread across her features.

"Petey? Ack nay, it can na be ya!"

Petey's face was filled with shocked amazement, "Tripper?"

She dropped her bags on the floor before crossing the space between them. Her arms wrapped around his middle in a mighty squeeze. Petey gave a laugh that came out in a gasp for breath.

"Hey Sis, let up a little bit! Can't breath here!" His face was bright with smiles as his sister immediately let go sputtering out apologizes in a mixture of Celtic and English. "What youse doin' 'ere, Tripper?"

"'ey Snipes, how come ya neva told us about youse sista?" The Cowboy called from behind the reunited couple with a grin.

Rory gave a looked over her shoulder at the now grinning fellows. She obviously thought it wasn't something to be discussed with nearly twenty boys listening in. Petey or Snipes glanced around before grabbing Rory's wrist and pulling her back outside and closing the door firmly behind them

"Now, Tripper, what are youse doin' in New Yawk?"

"Grandmary died three months ago, leavin' me in the 'ands of Uncle Emile. 'e didna like that very much, so 'e put me to work in an Irish pub. One of me customers was an English lord. 'e had a son a year older than me who took a shine to me. The fellow was a dumb jackal who only wanted me in 'is bed, not me 'eart. Uncle wished to give me away to the gentlemen with nary a second thought. I 'ad no other choice, so I ran away. Me travels took me to Dublin where I boarded a ship to take me here."

Snipes was silent for a few minutes, thinking thoughts worth not repeating as he planned how many ways he could inflict pain upon his uncle for the treatment of his sister. His evil perusing was interrupted by a might yawn that nearly split Rory's head in two.

"Aw, sorry Sis, I didn't tink that ya would be ready to hit da hay! Are ya hungry?" His brown eyes pleaded for forgiveness as he helped her to stand and escorted her back into the warm house.

"Aye, that I am. But I'd be more ready to sleep then to eat." Her voice brought many of the boys back to attention.

"'Bout time youse brought youse sistah back in, Snipes. Kloppman warmed some stew up for 'er. Then he says we's gotta go ta bed." The cowboy grinned at the siblings who stood there hand in hand.

"Yeah, what eva, Cowboy!" Snipes gave him a grin before turning back to his sister. "Sis, this is Jack Kelly or Cowboy, which eva youse wish ta call 'im."

Rory held out a small gloved hand toward Jack with a friendly smile, "Lovely ta meet ye, Jack. Me name is Aurora O'Moore or Tripper, which ever ye lads wish ta call me."

Jack gave Rory's hand a hearty shake before waving his pals forward. "These are some of da other newsies: Mush, Crutchy, Specs, Dutchy, Blink, Boots, Itey, Snoddy, Swifty, Pie-Eater, Snitch, Spot, Race, Bumlets, Jake and Skittery."

Rory's friendly gaze and smile was shown on each newsies as they doffed their caps when introduced. She couldn't help but feel that her brother had made a good choice of friends, they were some real lookers. Jack had just finished the introductions when an older gentleman came out with a bowl of hot stew and several biscuits. Rory's stomach complained so loud that the boys all heard and laughed at her embarrassment. She sat in a seat offered by Skittery and began wolfing down the food.

"So, why does Snipes call youse 'Tripper'?" Race straddled a chair beside her and watched her eat.

Rory looked toward her brother, silently asking him to explain since she had her mouth full. Snipes understood her silent request and jumped into the conversation.

"Because when she plays the violin, 'er fingers trip so fast and light that youse can 'ardly sees them. That, and when she was younga, she would always trip on the skirts she was made ta wear."

The last part earned Snipes a glare and scowl as the boys chuckled at the vivid pictures that came in their heads of a smaller Rory tripping on super long skirts in the mud. The boys badgered Rory with questions about Ireland and the trip over the ocean. Some she answered, others she just nodded or let Snipes take the question. Once she had finished off two bowls of stew and four biscuits, Rory leaned back in her chair and sighed, as her eyelids grew heavy with lack of sleep.

The boys didn't seem to notice that she was slowly fading beside them, as they discussed their day and the bad headlines that they had had to deal with. It was ten minutes later before one of the boys actually remembered Rory. Snoddy turned to ask the girl a question only to find her curled in a tight ball on the settee in deep sleep. Snipes immediately felt bad because he had known his sister was tired, yet he hadn't taken her to a nice bed.

Skittery scooped Rory up in his arms while Boots and Snipes grabbed her two bags, and the group slowly trooped up to the boys' room. Snipes motioned for Skittery to lay her on his bed. Boots had told him that he could share Boots' bed. Boots and Snipes placed Rory's bags under her bunk before Snipes pulled off her shoes and tucked her in under the sheets and blankets. Snipes placed a soft kiss on her cheek before climbing into Boots' bed and closing his eyes to accept the sleep that pulled at his tired body.

Hi! Here is the second chappy. I hope you all liked it. Keep on hanging around for other chapters. Oh! And please review!