I paced along the gates of the Refuge. I knew I had to get out of there soon, or I'd have no chance of finding Doug. I wasn't one for planning and thieving like many of the other boys in the place.

Ten days after Doug had left there was a carriage driving into the courtyard. There were 5 boys locked in the back. Three of them were young like me, but the last two looked to be about 16. They both looked pretty roughed up. One of them helped the other down, he looked the worst off. He put his arm around the other boy's shoulders and limped following Warden inside.

A few hours later they were escorted into the bunk room I lived in by an adult. They looked to have gotten cleaned up and were wearing the night shirts we all wore. They made their way over to an empty bunk that was at the end of mine. They sat down together. The Blonde was looking around, checking everything out, he didn't seem to hurt, but the black haired boy just sat there gingerly touching his own face. He had a split lip and a black eye. By the way he walked I could tell his left leg was hurting, and he was breathing so shallow made me think he probably had a broken rib or two.

The blonde caught me staring at them, he becond me over. I slid down to the foot of my bed. He stuck out his hand to shake and I took it. "I'm Topper."

"Kyndall Conlon." I responded.

"Now dats not a name I've eva heard before. Fittin name for a dashin young man." He said flashing me a smile. I could feel warmth in my cheeks and put my head down to hide. And he chuckled. He pointed to the boy next to him and said, "Dis is Jumper."

The black haired boy didn't look up at the mention of his name. He just sat looking towards the window. Topper reached over and placed a hand on Jumper's thigh. He turned and looked at him and Topper pointed to his breast pocket. Jumper handed him a piece of paper and a stub of a pencil which Topper then wrote on. Jumper read it and then reached out his hand to shake mine. He said "Jumper" in a slightly odd tone of voice, and a little loud. A lot of heads in the room turned towards us. And when he noticed, he quickly sat back down and moved towards the back of the bunk, up against the wall.

Topper smiled at him then turned back to look at all the other boys staring. He stood up and glared at all of them. "Ain't any of youse eva seen a deaf kid b'for? Any of youse mess wit 'im, ya mess wid me!" There was and edge to his voice, almost a growl. Most of the boys hid their faces from our direction. When he turned back to me, I was a bit frightened, but wit in a few seconds he had a grin on his face. "Kid if youse wanna survive in this world you gots to learn to act. If de fear ya, de leave yas alone." I nodded my understanding. "What youse in fo?"

I sat up straight and put on my best tough guy face and said, "Ma old man taut I was too much to 'andle wit out me mum, so he ditched me 'ere." I fumbled my way through the words trying to copy his accent, but as soon as I said mum I knew I'd given myself away.

He smiled at me again and asked if I was British, but I shook my head no and in the full accent of my homeland I responded, "Top of the Mornin to you."

He laughed and said "Potato farmer."

I gave him a hurt look and then a flash of anger and yelled, "I ain't farmed a day in ma life!" I blushed as I sat back down.

He smiled again, "Ise just pullin ya leg kid, we needs to find sumtin betta to call ya. Potato fama didn't fit ya anyways. Youse a real cute kid when yas blush. Makes ya freckels show" He tapped Jumper who looked up as Topper pointed at me then made a dotting motion on his own face. Jumper looked at me and smiled saying really quietly this time. "Spots"

I smiled back at him and then asked Topper, "Ya neva did tell me what you two's is doin 'ere."

He just shook his head and sighed. He looked over at Jumper who was watching us intently. I felt bad for him, being stuck there not knowing what was going on, but he seemed content to just watch us. "I's is da second to da leada of Brooklyn Newsies. Der is anudda boy back home dat tinks he should take ma place. 'E found out some poysonal stuff 'bout me and used it ta get me outta der. Da boys insisted dat we be kicked outta Brooklyn. We was leaving, but I guess dat wasn't 'nough for Scar. When we gots near da bridge der was a group of rich boys waitin der wit 'im. I tried ta have Jumper go 'round a nudder way whilst I got der attention. Almost worked, but 'e didn't 'ear dem coming afta im. And de beat 'im pretty bad 'fore Ise was able a get back to 'im. Bulls got der soon afta, but since da otha boys was da rich sort, dey arrested us for startin it."

I wondered what kind of information could get a guy kicked out of his home. But rather than ask I offered to go get a bucket and rag for Jumper since he seemed too sore to move. When I got back I saw them sitting real close. And when they realize I was standing there and looked up at me I felt my face flush again and Jumper smiled and said "Spots" again. The night Warden came into the room and turned the lights out. From the faint light coming in the window I saw Jumper turn towards Topper and fall asleep in his arms.

Topper turned his head my way and said "Youse and I gonna talk mo' in da morning Spots." And the name stuck.