The next month was an awkward one for the newsies. Jack and a couple others didn't really trust Lucky after that one letter and more things came up, things that seemed suspicious. To add on, Lucky avoided the boys as much as possible; sometimes they forgot that she lived in the same building with them. In all it wasn't a good month.

Eventually the boys started warming up again toward Lucky and she stopped avoiding them. However, Jack and Lucky strayed when the other entered the room as if they carried the plague. Soon there were only two that really distrusted Lucky and they were Jack and Tips; she was wary of them too.

Denton was like a father figure to her and Kloppman was like her grandfather, and the boys were her brothers.

So life progressed on and seemed mostly normal, excluding the occasional suspicious activity, hostility, and avoidance.

Yiyiyiyi

"Ssshhhh!"

It was the dead of night and Lucky was at Sheepshead, trying to take Feather Song out for a run on the track. Apparently the horse was a "vicious animal" to most people, but she had just seemed to take a liking to Lucky, which was good…for Lucky at least.

"We can only go a few rounds, Kay?"

Feather Song snorted in reply and Lucky took that to mean she understood. She nodded, hopped on the horse and they trotted out to the track. Lucky nudged Feather's flanks with her heels and the pair began their run around the track. Lucky stuck one hand up in the air as the horse ran, keeping the other holding on to the mane. An enormous smile that just about split her face came upon Lucky as she grew comfortable on Feather's bare back. She stuck her other hand up and held on tightly with her legs. Feather Song shook her mane and whinnied, showing her excitement as well. The two midnight adventurers kept this up until Feather Song got tired and daybreak appeared on the horizon. After placing her in her stall, Lucky waved goodbye to Feather Song and left for the distribution center.

Not surprisingly, she was the first one there, even though she was as tired as can be. Lucky waited for a while and soon saw a newsboy coming up to meet her. It was Tips, who seemed ahead of the other guys. They nodded to acknowledge each other and sat there in silence for a moment. Lucky looked up and saw Tips staring at her and the moment was broken.

"What?"

He looked away, "Nuthin'"

The others arrived quickly and everyone joked around as the circulation bell rang and got their papes. Lucky walked a ways with Snipeshooter and Boots then waved 'bye' and went her own way.

Zozozoz

"Nude corpse found in backyard! Mysterious murder at large! Thank you miss. Baby born with a tail in Harlem! Drunk man goes on a killing rampage! Kills twenty children!"

Lucky took the money from the buyers and continued shouting out headlines. At midday it was crowded on the streets and everyone was willing to buy whatever nonsense headlines she shouted out. Lucky stopped to chat with Jake and Crutchy who had just met up and they compared headlines and earnings. Crutchy had the most then Lucky then Jake. Of course, that gave Lucky the perfect excuse to play around with Jake about earning money.

"TWEEET!"

The three kids jumped and turned around, watching an officer chasing Jack down the street.

"Get back here you ruffian! You good for nothin' street rat!"

Jake, Crutchy, and Lucky cheered Jack on and Lucky jumped up and down, yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Go Jack!"

"COME ON, RUN, LOSE 'EM!"

"Run Jack, run!"

The officer glared at the kids and returned to running after the other boy. The three newsies laughed and thought of the outcome of the situation.

"I think Jack's gonna lose 'em an' return wit' 'is gold pocket watch!"

"Naw, he's gonna get caught an' den 'e'll escape, den come back wit' da pocket watch."

" He's commin' back wit' out da watch and wit' out getting' caught."

"Nu-uh, he's doin' what I'se said"

"No way; what I'se said"

"Nu-uh"

"Yu-huh"

"You'se actin' like little kids, you'se knows dat?"

"Shut up Crutchy!"

Rererere

Lucky went back to the Lodging House late at night and found most of the boys missing; those that were there were asleep in their bunks. She decided to wait in the first room for everyone to return, so she took a seat on the stairs and waited. Forty five minutes, at least, had passed before a parade of boys entered with Snipeshooter unconscious. Lucky jumped up, shocked, to see what she could do.

"What happened!"

All she got in return were glares directed at her and everyone muttering about what to do. He was bruised and beat up, all bloody and broken looking. Lucky noticed that his shoulder seemed to be dislocated and his shirt was in shreds. He was put on the couch that Lucky had been on and everyone started to put bandages on his wounds. His head was bleeding so one of the boys got a damp cloth and tried to clean it, along with his other cuts. Someone popped his shoulder back in place and he gave a grunt and winced, but stayed unconscious. After he was fixed up as best as he could be, Jack and a few others turned on Lucky.

"Why?"

"What were you thinkin?"

"I'm gonna kill 'er!"

"What was the point!"

More shouted accusations, but Lucky had tuned them out. She was mad that they were blaming her and not even trying to listen to what she wanted to say, although that was probably a good thing, considering what just might come out of her mouth if she had the chance.

"WHAT?" Lucky shouted over all the voices, "WHAT DID I DO?"

Most of the boys glared at her as she stood, red-faced, with her fists balled up. Jack came up to stand in front of her and glared.

"He said dat 'e saw a red-haired girl, after dey were leavin' 'em. Dat 'e saw you'se."

"I'se been here da whole time, waitin' on you'se. I'se didn't soak no one!"

The two looked like opponents facing off before the match began.

" 'e said 'e saw you'se!"

"An' I don' care; I'se here da whole time!"

There was silence as Lucky and Jack stared each other down and as some of the boys glared at Lucky.

"We'll talk 'bout dis tomorrow."

At Jack's word, everyone but Lucky headed upstairs to their bunks. A few boys gave her 'I'm sorry' looks and she nodded slightly, grateful that someone believed her.

Lucky turned when she heard someone on the stairs and found Tips to be the one. She turned her back to him and asked, "What d'you want?"

Tips smiled and walked down the rest of the stairs. He came and stood next to Lucky, who had her arms crossed and was looking at Snipeshooter.

"Dey ain't gonna belive you'se for much longer. Soon you'se gonna be outta 'ere an' Bronx'll 'ave Manhattan."

Lucky whirled around and stared at the Bronx newsie.

"What did you'se say?"

"You'se heard me"

"So I'se the only one in your way?"

"In a way, I'se suppose"

"You'se cannot 'ave Manhattan!"

Tips stepped forward to where they were almost nose to nose.

"Who's gonna believe you'se; your leader hates you'se; see how well you'se getting' on now."

Lucky stared, open- mouthed as Tips walked back up to the bunkroom. He was right; no one would believe her; she'd have to leave.