"Look, ya got the wrong guy," Crutchie stammered, taking another step back. Mace jeered at him, and Crutchie turned his head slightly to escape the boy's rank breath. "Yeah? You think I'm dumb? Stupid as I look, huh?" Mace asked, giving Crutchie a shove in the shoulder. He stumbled back, taking a nervous glance behind him. "Well, that's you!" Mace said forcefully, giving him another shove. "That's what you are, Jack Kelly!"

"I ain't Jack Kelly!" Crutchie told him, suddenly losing his footing as he didn't feel the steady wooden planks underneath his boots anymore. He gave a terrified look into Mace's unfeeling face, dropping into the tumultuous, crashing waves with a yell. Crutchie fought for air as he sank beneath the water, surfacing and drawing in a great, strained breath. He thrashed, trying to paddle over to his crutch, which had bobbed up to the surface. His bad leg seemed like a dead weight now, pulling him under to the darkened abyss that waited to immerse him in its watery depths. He drew in another frantic breath, fighting for his life. Crutchie gasped for air, looking up to Mace-was it just a trick of his eyes, or were there two of him now? "Help me!" Crutchie called, pleading. "Please-help me! Help-"

He sank beneath the waves again as water filled his lungs to the brim. Crutchie slowly closed his eyes as everything dimmed to black, and sank like a stone towards the bottom of the ocean floor.

"Mace. Mace!"

"Is he gonna pop up again?" Mace asked stupidly, almost sad. "I was goin' to beat him up."

"Mace, he's..." Peter stared at the water below him, hoping he wasn't right. He swallowed, suddenly very, very frightened. "You killed him."

"I what?" Mace shot a glance to him, perturbed by his brother's soft way of speaking.

"You killed him," Peter shot the words out through his teeth, taking a small step towards the gently flowing waves. "He ain't...he ain't comin' back."

Mace grinned foolishly. "Then we got rid o' him! We broke 'im, just like Uncle said to-"

"No!" Peter turned on him, furious at this mistake. "You KILLED him, Mace! HE'S DEAD! There ain't no comin' back from bein' dead! We went farther than what Uncle said to do-this is MURDER. We could get thrown in jail for this!"

Mace frowned, Peter's harsh words finally penetrating his thick skull. "Jail?" he repeated smally, and Peter glared at him, hiding his own fear. "Yeah. Jail, Mace. This is murder. The cops will notice."

"Crutchie! Crutchie?"

Peter grabbed Mace's arm as they heard Race's shout from down the docks. The twins quickly ran to hide, or just simply run away from the horrible deed they had done.

"Crutchie?" Race stopped in his tracks, jamming his hat onto his head as he glanced around. Crutchie couldn't have gone far, could he? "Uh...Crutch?"

"Where'd he go?" Elmer ran up, looking this way and that.

"Race! Dave!" Albert yelled from where he was peering into the harbor. "Come...come look," he added weakly. "What is it?" Davey rushed up, boots slapping the docks. He almost fell into the water when he caught up to Albert, but was thankfully held back by Elmer's hand. The boys stared into the water, slowly becoming more and more horrified. There was the body of an all-too familiar friend floating on top of the once serene waters.

"Crutchie," Race whispered, mouth open. Albert jumped into the water, disregarding his now-soaked clothes. With a grimace, he lifted the body onto the docks, where Race turned him over. His face was still and cold, and he was deathly pale. Davey shoved Race and everyone out of the way, starting to pound on Crutchie's chest in the hope to revive him. To do something to get him breathing again, to bring him back to life. A sob escaped him, and Davey slowly stopped, his hands going slack. He lifted his eyes to the newsies and his brother, whispering, "He's dead. Crutchie's dead."

"I told you it wasn't him!" suddenly came an angry shout from an alleyway. "I told you that wasn't Jack Kelly! You shouldn't have pushed him in the water, Mace!"

Race stood up as he caught a glimpse of two stocky boys running away. He glared in their direction, and burst out, "You killed him!" You killed Crutchie! I'll get you, you bastids-!" He started sprinting after the pair, sick with fury. Albert, Elmer and Davey all ran after him, though Dave was really only trying to make them stop. "Race!" He yelled, catching up to him. "Race, please, this violence won't bring him back!"

"Get out of here," Race said spitefully, pushing him away. "Ya don't know what it's like!"

"He was my friend, too!" Davey shouted, and Race stopped, looking away. Davey took a deep breath, repeating himself. "He was my friend, too."

"We'll bring him back to the Lodgin' House," Albert's voice quavered. "Somebody should find him, an' tell 'im what's happened."

"I'll go," Elmer volunteered, voice hollow, and rushed off.

"Davey, I want to go home," Les had started to cry. His brother wrapped him in a hug, gently shushing him. "It'll be okay, Les. It'll be okay."