Hawking headlines turned out to be much harder than Hail ever imagined, but it was definitely a step up from the horrible factory work she had endured. Selling papers, she felt much freer. She could wander wherever she wanted, work at her own pace and was in control of how much she earned. By the afternoon, she and Melody had both sold their twenty papers and Jack's total was well into the seventies.
"What say we stop for some lunch?" he suggested. When the girls agreed, Jack led them through town to a nice-looking eatery called Tibby's.
"This used to be a fancier place before the strike," Jack said, ushering them inside. "But there was this reporter named Denton who helped us out during the strike. He treated all the newsies here a few times, and that kinda scared the other customers away. Joe Tibby there-" Jack nodded to a kind-looking, mustached man "-is a great guy though, so he lets us eat here too. We still gotta pay, but you won't find many places that'll let kids like us in their doors." He finished his explanation and found an empty table to sit at. Hail recognized a lot of the newsies from the Lodging House eating around them as they decided what to get. Jack had many recommendations and proceeded to order for Melody and Hail.
"Jack! Great news," Racetrack appeared and slid into a chair next to Melody. "Boy did you goils pick a good time to show up. I just found out that Medda is giving one of her free shows tonight."
"Who's Medda?" Melody looked baffled.
"'Who's Medda?' she asks," sighed Race, shaking his head. "Only the greatest vaudeville star evah to grace the stage!"
"We go way back," Jack grinned importantly. "She decided, after the strike, to give a couple shows especially for the newsies. I guess tonight will be one of 'em."
"You goils are coming, right?" Race asked. Melody agreed, but Hail merely shrugged. "Aw come one! It'll be fun, trust me."
"I guess," she nodded.
"Swell. See you back at the Lodging House Cowboy," and with that, Racetrack departed.
As he left, the food arrived and the trio eagerly dug in. When their appetites were appeased, they paid for their meals and headed back out to the street.
"I still have some more to sell, but we can get yous a couple evening editions to keep practicin' on," Jack decided and they set off, once more, for the distribution center.