CHAPTER FOUR

I opened my eyes and looked up at the sky. It was still kinda dark outside. I sat up and almost jumped outta my skin before I realized it was just Race sleeping next to me. He was curled up and had his hat covering up his face. I glanced down and noticed I had been layin' my head on his arm. It had been quite comfortable actually. Can't really complain too much, 'cause it was better than sleepin' on the hard brick in the alley. His other hand lay inches away from mine, his fingers curled upward like he had a hold of somethin'. Had we been holdin' hands? Not intentionally, I don't think.

Before I could make any more observations on how Racetrack slept, my stomach let out a harsh gurgling noise. I just now realized how hungry I was since I hadn't eaten last night. I figured Race would be hungry too when he woke up, so I went out and bought us some ale and bread. When I got back, he was sittin' up with his eyes closed.

"Poke up. Here, eat this," I ordered him, throwing him a hunk of bread.

"Thanks. I haven't slept outside in a long time. Now I know why," he told me, rubbing his neck.

"Yeah, well I can't really complain. I have ta sleep out here. I ain't got no place ta go. It ain't so bad once ya get used to it though. I've been doin' it for… well for as long as I can remember."

He thought for a second. "Maybe you can stay with us at the Newsboys Lodging House. I'm sure Kloppman wouldn't mind. Ya might hafta ask him first. You'd be the only girl though, obviously. It'd be a nice change, instead of hearin' the boys banter all da time."

"I don't know," I said uneasily. "It's called the Newsboys Lodging House for a reason. Ain't they got a Newsgirls Lodging House somewhere?" I asked him.

"Well, they did, 'til there weren't any girls ta stay there. They closed it down years ago. You could stay in other lodging houses, like the one for girl shoe shiners, but I don't think you'd like dat. You'd feel outta place, bein' a newsgirl and all," he answered.

I sat there thinkin'. "I guess it's worth me askin' him."

He nodded silently.

"You didn't hafta sleep out here last night. I wudda survived on my own. I ain't helpless, ya know."

"Didn't say ya were, did I? Besides, it was so cold, I couldn't have walked back ta da house without my legs fallin' off," he replied grumpily.

I smiled a little to myself. "You always this much of a smartass? Don't get me wrong, it's funny, but I just wanna be warned, for future reference."

He grinned at me. "Yeah. When I'm pissed I'm even more of a smartass. But ya don't wanna ever see me pissed. I'm a real bastard when that happens."

"Now that I can believe," I laughed. "You don't wanna ever see me mad either. It ain't a pretty sight."

He popped his fingers, glanced up at me, and said, "Yeah, well I have a feelin' I'll see ya mad sometime. Ya can't be a newsie without bein' mad at least two or three times a week."

I nodded. "I don't doubt dat."

He stood up and grabbed my hand to pull me to my feet. "We better get goin' if we're gonna meet Jack and the boys and still have time to sell our papes."

It was startin' to get lighter so I agreed with him and we walked over to the distribution center. There were a lot of boys already lined up, and they were talkin' pretty loudly. When I walked through the arch, it got dead silent and every head turned to look at me.

I stood there for a second, turned to Racetrack and said, "They act like they ain't seen a girl in their whole life. For Christ's sake, I ain't got no disease or nothin'." I walked past them and cut to the front of the line. If they got a problem wit it, then they can say somethin'. At least they'd be talkin' ta me instead of lookin' at me like I'm an intruder. But they didn't say anything. They just stood there and watched me walk on up to the fat guy that gave us the papes.

"Hey Mr. what's-his-face." I handed him two bits. "Gimme fifty papes."

He looked at me smugly and handed me fifty papers. "I see ya lasted the night. You're lucky. Won't be long before someone roughs ya up and ya won't be able ta take it. You'll be gone back ta wherever ya came from by next month."

"Is that right, what's-your-face?"

"Weisel," someone coughed. I turned to glare at the kid that did it. He smiled at me and I noticed he had a crutch. He looks like a nice kid. I let my glare slip off my face and turned back to the rude dimwit in front of me.

"Is that right, Weasel? What makes ya say dat? I did a damn good job of sellin' my papes yesterday, and I can do it again today, and for however long I feel like sellin'. I know how ta take care of myself. I don't need you or anyone else tellin' me if I can or can't make it in this city. So on dat note, I'll see ya tomorrow Weasel." I gave him a cocky grin, winked, and jumped down off the platform. I got about ten feet away from the window before the guys started talking again.

"Hey, Flash! Come here for a second," yelled a voice I didn't recognize.

Turning around, I saw a taller boy with a big stack of papers, about a hundred to a hundred and fifty, start walking toward Race.

"You gonna introduce us, Race?" he asked him.

"Sure, sure," said Race. He pointed at the boy and turned toward. "This is Jack. Jack, this is Flash."

"How ya doin'?" Jack asked me.

I looked at him, studying his face. He had brown hair that hung down a little past his ears. It was lighter than Race's, who's looked black compared to Jack's. He had a clean face and blue eyes that reminded me of the lake back in Franklin. He wasn't too bad to look at. Not really my type though.

"How do ya think I'm doin'? I spent the night outside in the cold, I'm aching, and I just had ta listen ta Weasel tell me dat I ain't got what it takes ta be a newsie. I'm great," I said sarcastically.

Looking at Racetrack, he grinned. "You were right. A smartass, but she's funny. And from da way she just talked ta Weasel, it sounds like she can handle herself."

I flashed him a sickly sweet smile. "I'm so glad ya noticed. I don't put up wit nobody's shit."

"Ah. Ya know where you're gonna sell today, Flash?" he asked me.

I quickly glanced at Race and then back to Jack. "I might try da harbor. I've heard the papes go fast over there."

He looked at Race and said, "We'll come wit ya. I've been meanin' ta go down ta da harbor. Ya mind?"

"What if I do, Jack?"

"Then I guess you're gonna hafta get over it," he said smiling.

"Fine… but don't expect me ta help ya sell ya papers," I said smugly to him.

He laughed. "I don't need no help. I'm the expert around here."

"Yeah, we'll see about dat Jackie."

Race started to walk away. "We gonna go or are we gonna sit around like a buncha knots on logs today?"

Jack and I both ran to catch up with him. Jack got ahead of us and Race and I kind of held back.

"So whadda ya think of Jack?" he asked me, taking out one of his cigars.

"He's alright. I like you better so far. You don't walk as fast," I grinned.

He grinned back at me. "I usually walk faster, but I ain't gonna let ya get lost."

"Hey. I can take care of myself. I wouldn't get lost."

"Don't wanna take any chances. You're almost one of us."

"Almost?"

He looked ahead to make sure Jack was outta earshot. "Jack sorta makes dat call. All the other guys listen ta him, ya know? Since da strike an' all."

"Oh. I wouldn't mind bein' accepted. Not dat I needs ta be, but it'd be betta than bein' alone."

"Yeah, I know."

Jack called out over his shoulder, "Hurry up you guys! It'll be doomsday 'fore we get there if ya walk any slower!"

We didn't say anything, but we sped up. Pretty soon we were at the harbor. Jack saw someone he knew and motioned for Racetrack to go with him. They walked up to a guy with a cane and engaged in what looked like a very serious discussion. Well I wasn't about to interrupt, so I just started selling my papers.

"'Corpse Found Dumped in Bottle Alley'! Front page!" I called out.

"I'll take a paper, Miss," said a man with a top hat. He handed me two quarters.

"Sir, it only costs a penny." I told him in awe.

"I know. You can keep the rest," he told me and smiled. Another lady walked up to buy a pape, gave me a dime, and told me to keep the change. All of my papers were gone before Jack and Race stopped talkin' to the fella with a cane. He didn't look old. Around my age. Fifteen or sixteen maybe?

Race looked over at me and whispered something to Jack who looked over at me too. I waved and started to walk back the way we had come. I walked a lot faster than I had when I was walking with Race, so I made it back faster too.

About a block away from the distribution center, I saw a sign: 'Newsboys Lodging House.' This must be da place Race was talkin' about. Who was dat guy I had ta talk to? Kloppman? Yeah, that's who it was. Kloppman.

I walked into the lodging house and saw a man sitting at a desk. I stood there but he didn't look up. I cleared my throat to get his attention. He looked up and shuffled his papers.

"What can I do for you?"

"Uh, my friend Racetrack told me ta come here and ask if I can start stayin' here. Ya know, at night," I said nervously.

"Ah, Race. If he's tryin' ta help ya out, then you're in good hands. He knows what he's talkin' about."

"Yeah, I know. So whadda ya say Mr. Kloppman? Can I stay?" I asked him, almost begging, but not quite. I wouldn't lower myself down to begging ever, unless it was my last resort. I got more dignity than that.

He looked up at the ceiling, debating the question and answer. "Well, you'll hafta pay like the rest of 'em. And if ya wanna wash up, then ya might wanna do it before the others wake up. It's out in the open."

"I don't care. I'll do it." I replied back.

"Then you can stay here. I don't mind."

I gave him my best smile. "Thank You Mister."

He smiled back. "The boys are gonna have a field day with this one."

Still smiling, I said, "Yeah. Hopefully." I gave him a wave and walked outside to go get my stuff from the alley. Ya know, this could be fun. Really fun. I smiled mischievously.