Chapter Seven: Kathryn Confesses

Kathryn taught every boy how to take stitches out of handkerchiefs that evening. Fagin was very grateful and gave her an additional piece of bread for her trouble. This is wonderful, she thought, I have two pieces of bread for Ginger now. I won the first piece by getting the most valuable things out on the job, and the second by teaching everyone to take stitches out of handkerchiefs.

Soon it was time for dinner. Apart from the usual sausages, there was a small loaf of bread and a bit of gin leftover from lunch. Everyone was very excited because they did not often have bread and gin for dinner. Kathryn was a little nervous because she had never had gin or any sort of alcohol. She wondered if she would like it at all.

Her fears were soon banished as Dodger forced her to take a drink of the gin. Kathryn coughed and fought to keep the nasty tasting liquid down. It burned her throat terribly and all she could think about was getting it out of her mouth. Seeing the look on her face after she finally got the drink down her throat, Dodger started laughing and was soon joined by all of the other boys.

"I don't think I like the gin very much. If you please, sirs, I will not be having any more of it for a very, very long time." Kathryn said while still trying not to cough and throw up. This little speech only made the boys laugh harder. Sitting down on the farthest stool she could find, Kathryn started to cry. Soon she was joined by Dodger who came to offer his apologies.

"I'm very sorry, mate," he said, "I didn't mean to make fun o' you. The look on your face was just really funny. Af'er you said wot you did abou' it, it was even funnier." Kathryn offered him a weak smile to show him that she forgave him. He gently pulled her off her stool and back over to the group.

The boys were standing in a group looking very ashamed. Dodger had obviously made them feel bad that they had made her cry. Kathryn accepted everyone's apologies and decided she had better get to bed.

"Wait!" cried Dodger as he ran after her, "I'm coming with you." Kathryn knew she was in for something. She knew she was going to have to tell him everything and hope that he wouldn't tell anyone else. Crossing her fingers, Kathryn turned around and waited for Dodger to catch up. Together they walked into the small area where they slept.

"Now," said Dodger as he sat down on his makeshift bed, "tell me wot 'appened."

Kathryn sighed. She could see there was no helping the situation she was in. Sighing again, she decided to tell him everything. "I am not a boy," she started, "and my name is not Alexander Darby. It is Kathryn Darcy."

Dodger gaped at her. "So your tryin' to 'ell me tha' you're no' 'ho you said you were?"

Kathryn nodded as she replied, "Yes, that is exactly what I'm telling you."

"Bu' wot does tha' 'ave to do wif your back 'urtin'?"

"Nothing. It was just essential that I tell you so the story of how I was hurt made sense. Also, I didn't want you taking my shirt off."

Dodger blushed. "I see," he said, quickly changing the subject, "Now can you tell me wot 'appened?"

"Yes," Kathryn replied. She started with her first day on the job and how she had met Ginger. She did not leave a single detail out. I hope he doesn't tell Fagin or any of the boys about anything I'm telling him, she thought, I'm afraid he will laugh at me about the whole thing and tell me to just leave Ginger to herself.

When she had finished her story, both of them sat in silence for a while. Finally Dodger spoke, "I agree wif you," he said, "I agree tha' Ginger should be saved. And I'm goin' to 'elp you."

Kathryn threw her arms around his neck as she thanked him. "Oh, Dodger," she said using her natural voice instead of her boy voice, "thank you so much. Ginger means a lot to me and if you will help me save her it would be wonderful because I know you can do it."

Dodger looked petrified at Kathryn's outburst. "You're welcome?" he offered. Kathryn sat back on her own bed with the biggest smile on her face. I don't think I've truly smiled since I was a baby, she thought and smiled even bigger. Suddenly, they both started laughing. The situation was just too hilarious. The fact that he had thought that Kathryn was a boy was the funniest part to Dodger. Kathryn was laughing because she had finally found her first remote reason to laugh in a long time.

By the time they had finished laughing, it was late and time to go to bed for good. They each lay down in their beds and closed their eyes. After about five minutes of silence, Kathryn heard Dodger say to himself, "Kafryn. I like it, Kafryn."

Kathryn giggled slightly to herself at the way he pronounced her name in his Cockney accent. If I stay here much longer, she thought, I suppose I will have a Cockney accent too. This thought was so funny to her that soon she couldn't contain her laughter. Dodger sat up in his bed and asked her what was so funny. Kathryn tried to reply but couldn't between her peels of laughter.

Soon Dodger was laughing again with her just for the fun of laughing. Several minutes later, both fell back on their beds and fell fast asleep before their heads hit their makeshift pillows.