Cathy stepped onto the landing beside her grandfather. She saw ten hats come off and ten smiles directed her way. Kloppman put a hand on Cathy's shoulder. "Boys...this is Cathy. Cathy, these is...ah, let's see..."

Mush stepped forward, his smile warm. "Mush Meyers. A pleasure." He extended his hand. Cathy took it, and blushed a bit when Mush kissed her hand. Kloppman told Mush to wash up, and as Mush walked past Kloppman gave him a sharp look and an elbow in the ribs to match. Mush winced a little and kept walking.

The incident went unnoticed by Cathy. One by one the newsies came up and shook her hand, introducing themselves. As the last of the boys, a short one named Boots, passed her by, Cathy found herself wondering how she was going to remember all their names. She sat behind the front desk as some of the older ones obligingly brought an unused cot down the stairs and into the room where Kloppman slept. As they struggled to do this, Cathy observed some colorful language she hadn't been exposed to previously:

"Poke up, ya bonehead, ya gonna run me ova!"

"Shoo fly! I ain't doin' nothin'. Ask Specs what the hell he's doin'..."

"Shut your trap, Blink!"

"For Crissake, we're carryin' a mattress here, not dynamite! Move it!"

They paid her no mind as they tried to fit the mattress through the door, and then proceeded to yell at each other. Once one of them shoved another, Cathy jumped up. "Please! Boys? If you have to fight...take it upstairs?" She alternated sounding polite and meek to vaguely influential.

The boys looked at her for a moment, and then laughed. "Call that fightin', doll?" Kid Blink said. "That's what ya do when you're angry at a friend. Get miffed at someone who ain't...look out, Charley!" He swung a fist in the air.

She sat back down. "Are things like that all over New York?"

"All over. 'Cept in high brow places like the Upper side. And Queens. Queens they're all a buncha wimps, anyways." Kid Blink took a seat on the desk. "Where're you from, anyways?"

"Kentucky..." Cathy answered.

"Where'sat?

"South..."

"We got us a hayseed!" Bumlets exclaimed. "Hey, you guys own a farm?"

"Of course we do. Biggest milk farm in the county."

Bumlets sniggered. "Ain't that somethin' to be proud of..."

Cathy flushed. "It is. And what do you have to be proud of?"

"Not much. I got my papes, my hat, and my dignity." Bumlets emphasized his point by throwing on his cap. "I'll see you all later..."

"Where ya goin'?" Pie-Eater asked.

"I gotta date."

"With who?"

But Bumlets had left. Kid Blink shook his head. "Prolly with Oscar Delancey..."

The others laughed as the door to the lodging house opened again. Itey, Crutchy, Jake, Snoddy, David, and Les filed in, looking exhausted. "You won't believe the day we had!" Itey exclaimed. "Central Park, Bottle Alley, West side, East side, Midtown...and we still got two or three left over!" He collapsed in a chair as Snoddy tossed the unsold papers onto the front desk.

Les went up to the counter and rang the bell, a ritual of his. "I got thirty cents today," he announced, "all on my own..." He looked at Cathy, who smiled at him. Meekly Les smiled back and turned away.

Snipe-Shooter ran in a few moments later. "Where was Bumlets going?"

"He said he had a date," Specs answered. "But he's probably off to steal something..."

"Definitely," David said. "As if he would have a date..."

A pause came over them. David caught sight of Cathy. "Hello..." he said with a hint of confusion.

"Hello," Cathy said back.

"Oh, yeah, right. Dave, this is Casey. Kloppman's granddaughter." Kid Blink said hurriedly.

"You moron, her name's not Casey!" Specs hit Blink upside the head. "It's Cassie..."

Pie-Eater stepped forward. "Kloppman said it was Caylie..."

"Can I save you boys the trouble?" Cathy said. They quieted, and she turned to David. "It's Cathy. And you are?"

"David Jacobs. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Les!" Les exclaimed suddenly. "David's my brother. He's older."

"Nice to meet you," Cathy returned.

David turned and pointed to each of the other boys who had just come in. "And here we have Jake, Itey and Snoddy."

"Skip!" Crutchy yelled out from the doorframe, startling the others. He came forward with a mock glare at David, who grinned apologetically. Crutchy addressed Cathy. "Since I seem to be invisible tonight, Miss Cathy, I'll inna-douce myself. Crutchy Morris."

"Crutchy..." Cathy said with a smile. "A pleasure."

"What brings you to the Lodging House?" Snoddy asked.

Cathy relayed the story again. "I don't know how long I'll be staying here..."

"Well, consider yourself welcome," David said pleasantly.

Suddenly the door slammed open, very nearly hitting Itey in his chair. Racetrack barreled in, looking furious. "Where's that bum Skittery? I'll kill 'im!" He slammed a Sheepshead Bay race card on the front desk. He bellowed up the stairs, "Skittery, ya two-bit crook! Get down here 'fore I have to go up and get ya myself! Lousy bum...I'll fix ya...!"