Jack's snores roared throughout the tiny apartment, thankfully keeping Katherine awake. The clicking of keys from her typewriter could scarcely be heard above Jack's thunder. She smiled slightly. Katherine loved her husband, but sometimes his snores were a bit too much. She groaned aloud at her article, putting her head in her hands. How could she write what she wanted to say without it coming out all wrong? With one last aggravated sigh, Katherine tore the paper from the restraining clutches of the typewriter, and threw it across the room where it joined a mass of other paper she had crumpled into balls. Katherine stood up, pulling back the chair with a slight scuffle against the wooden floor. She glanced to the bedroom, where Jack's snores still penetrated the walls. Thankfully the article wasn't due until three days from now, so she had time to tear up more faulty drafts if she wished. Katherine rubbed her eyes tiredly, yawning. She jumped slightly at a knock on the front door, and sleepily walked over to answer it. With another yawn she pulled open the door, and blinked in surprise. "Crutchie! What brings you here- at this hour? Jack's already asleep, I just stayed up late to work on an article of mine-do you need anything?" She ended concernedly, but Crutchie shook his head. "I wanted tah know if ya got any boxes."

Katherine raised her eyebrow, taken aback by this question. "Boxes."

"An' some rope?" Crutchie asked tentatively.

Katherine paused, and then turned to go inside. "I'll check," she said. "Come in."

Crutchie hesitantly limped inside, taking off his hat as he stared around at the apartment. He heard Katherine open the basement door and the soft thump of her feet as she walked down the steps. He walked over to the couch, sitting down. There were few family pictures of the Pulitzers, but Crutchie smiled at a large, messy painting of the city skyline with the sky of Santa Fe behind it. The newsies had given that to Jack last Christmas, and apparently he had still kept it. Crutchie looked to the basement door as Katherine opened it, carrying a sturdy brown box in her hands.

"I could only find one," she said dryly to Crutchie, who gratefully took the box from her. He turned it over in his hands, thinking. It wasn't too big nor too small, and gave just enough height to his bad leg when he placed his foot on the top. Of course, now his good foot dangled in the air, but that wouldn't be a problem. Crutchie's plan was simple: he would tie a box to his bad foot and pull the ropes to make it walk, or pedal, as was which he intended to do. Katherine returned with some rope, which Crutchie used to tie the box to his foot. He frowned as his fingers slipped from the knot a third time.

"Here," said Katherine gently, and knelt down to help him. Soon the box was neatly tied around his foot. Katherine glanced up into Crutchie's green eyes. "Now what are you planning to do with this?" She asked, demanding a little.

"It's a...surprise!" Crutchie forced out a smile. Katherine nodded confusedly, not wanting to question him further. "Okay. I suppose I'll find out sooner or later."

Crutchie nodded wisely, and stood up. His good leg now dangled a few inches up in the air, but that wasn't a problem. He glanced over to the couch, and sat down again, experimentally moving his bad leg with a pull of the ropes. Katherine stared at him, and he slowly lowered his foot to the floor, face turning a slight red. "This isn't about getting rid of the crutch, is it?" she asked him, and he shook his head adamantly. "Then I'd need a new name, wouldn't I?" he asked with a grin. Katherine chuckled. "Alright, you have your things. Why don't you go back to the Lodging House and get some rest?"

"Can ya help me take it off foist?" Crutchie asked, and Katherine nodded. "Like I said, I assume I'll be hearing what all this is for sooner or later, hm?" She quickly undid the rope and the box, and handed it to the boy, who stood up with the aide of his crutch. "Thanks, Katherine." Crutchie limped over to the door, carefully placing the rope over his shoulder and the box under his arm. Katherine shook her head, closing the door after he left. She watched him limp down the streets with the strange materials under his arm. Who knew why he needed it, anyways. But Katherine was sure that she would get to the bottom of this.

The door opened again with a small creak, and Crutchie stuck his head inside. "Katherine? One las' thing...where do ya keep your wheeler?"

"In the back," Katherine said quizzically. "Why?"

Crutchie shrugged. "No reason." Then he was gone.

Katharine turned away from the door, and swept into her bedroom she shared with Jack, gently climbing into bed. Jack's snores paused for a moment, and he put an arm around her. "Thought I heard voices."

"It was Crutchie," Katharine said as she snuggled into him. "He wanted a box and some rope. Don't ask me why."

Jack grunted. "Did ya give it to 'im?"

"Of course," she smiled slightly. "The boys know I'd do anything to help them out."

"Dunno why he'd want a box an' some rope, though."

"I don't know either. Now go back to sleep, it's late."

Her only reply was Jack's sonorous snores echoing through the bedroom once more.