Forever 'N' Ever Amen
by Spacey Cliffton

Disclaimer: "Newsies" and all its characters belong to Disney. Lucky (aka Cassandra Jasper and/or Cassie), Raven Boromi, and Mr. Bucket / Bouquet belong to Sharkbait. Anybody not previously mentioned belongs to me, Spacey. Whatever and Ever Amen belongs to Ben Folds 5.
Thanks to: Rae, for, in a round-about way, getting me hooked on Newsies; Sharkbait, for letting me borrow Cassie & Mr. Bucket; Scribe, Grace, & Ink, for their positive feedback; & all the fanfic writers on the net, who have inspired me more than anybody.

---

Ann walked up the road through the snow to her old, run-down house and was stopped by a wagon.

"Ma! What 're ya doin'?" cried Ann.

"Move out of the way," her mother said crisply.

"But wheah 's all yous guys goin'?" demanded Ann. Her little brother and her two little sisters were in the back, looking scared. Ann's mother was driving the wagon and her mother's "friend" Billy sat beside her. What looked like everything the family owned was crammed into the wagon.

"It doesn't matter where we're going. We're not coming back, ever," Ann's mother said, sending the youngest girl into tears. "Now move out of the way."

Ann was prepared for a fight, but her mother sent her a deathly glare and Ann obliged. She watched the wagon disappear. Then she started running. As she was running into the house, she crashed into someone.

"Tommy! Tommy, Ma left! An' she took Billy-" Ann shuddered. "An' Rose an' Jessie an' Gabriel!"

"I know, Ann. Git outta me way, kid."

"Tommy, you ain't leavin' too, 're you?" she cried.

"Yeah," he answered simply.

"Take me! Er Pa's gonna send me ta dat lousy goyls' school an' fergit about me. Please take me!" she cried, clinging to Tommy's arm.

"Shut up, Ann! I ain't takin' ya!" snapped Tommy. He started walking faster and shook Ann away.

"Fine, den, ya lousy, rottin', stinkin', scumbag! I'll see ya in hell!" she shouted, flashing a quick gesture behind his back before turning around. By the time Ann had made all of the five steps back to the house, she had decided that she, too, would leave. She banged through the door in a nasty mood and saw that the house was nearly empty, except for her father's favorite chair and a bunch of bags.

"Annie, look what da men brought. Some purdy dresses fer me li'l Annie, who's goin' off ta goyls' school," Ann's father slurred, obviously drunk.

"I told ya a million times, ya lousy bummah! I ain't goin' ta no goyls' school!" said Ann forcefully.

He patted Ann's head. "You's gonna like it."

"Ya said dat when Rose an' Jessie an' Gabriel was born, an' I didn't like 'em none, did I?"

"Watch yer mouth, ya brat."

"Shut up, ya lousy drunk! I ain't stayin' heah wit ya, an' I ain't goin' ta no lousy goyls' school. I'se leavin'!" Ann headed for the ladder to the loft, which was where she slept.

Her father knocked the ladder down. "Ya ain't leavin' me, Annie!"

"Yes I am!" Ann jumped straight up in the air and grabbed the edge of the opening. Kicking madly, she pulled herself up and managed to kick her father in the face in the process.

It only took a moment to gather her things. Her knife, the little bit of money that she had, the oversized coat that Tommy had outgrown two winters ago and passed on to Ann, and two shirts. Lying on the floor were two pairs of pants that Tommy had discarded. Ann grabbed those, too.

Ann peered down to the lower level of her house. Her father was beginning to stir. In a moment of desperation, she ran to the window, kicked all the glass out, and jumped. Through some lucky twist of fate, she landed on her feet. Without wasting a second, she took off running...

---

A while later, when Ann figured her father would've given up, she stopped by a small stream and drank greedily. While she rested, she made a plan. New York City wasn't far away, and there were lots of opportunities there.

"Theah's more opportunities fer boys, dough," she thought out loud. After a moment, Ann reached back and untied her long braid of copper-colored hair. Grabbing her knife, Ann quickly cut her hair above her ears. Then she tugged off her skirt and pulled on one of the pairs of Tommy's pants. Of course, they were too big, but after she cut them to the right length, they were fine, though a little baggy.

"So," Ann said, turning to a small dog drinking from the stream. "Do I look like a boy?"

The dog looked at her, came over, sniffed her hand, and curled down around her feet.

"'eya, dog. Ya wanna go ta Noo Yawk wit me?" asked Ann. She shoved her knife and money into her pocket. Grabbing the bag of clothes, Ann set off, the dog trailing behind.

---

Two days later, Ann stumbled into New York City. For a moment, she was frightened of the enormous crowds of people, wagons and carriages, and the merchants selling things on the streets.

Don't be scared a nuttin', Ann, she told herself. Boys ain't scared a nuttin'. Ya ain't scared a nuttin', eidder. Ya knows how ta fight, an' ya knows how ta steal. So don't be scared, ya baby.

Just then, a small boy tore past, pushing her into a puddle of muddy snow.

"'ey, ya lousy bummah! Watch wheah youse goin'!" shouted Ann.

By the time the sentence was out of her mouth, the boy had turned around and was coming back.

"Jeez, I'se sahry! I gotta watch wheah I'se goin', huh?" he asked sympathetically. "Ya ain't hurt, 's ya?"

"Naw," Ann said confidently. She shook herself off and grabbed her bag.

"Ya new around heah, aintcha?" the boy asked.

"Yeah," answered Ann.

He spit on his hand and held it out. "I'se Snipeshooter."

Ann spit on her own hand. "Ann Dryden."

"Wait, youse a goyl?" the boy asked incredulously. "Ya got boy's 'air!"

"Yeah, well, I cut it. I ran away an' me fadda's lookin' fer me. 'E's too dumb ta t'ink that I'd cut me 'air an' come heah."

Ann's dog barked, demanding some attention.

"An' dis 's... well, 'e ain't got a name. But 'e's mine."

"How old 're ya?" asked Snipeshooter.

"Ten an' a half. Eleven, in January," replied Ann.

Snipeshooter nodded, obviously in thought. "Ya know anyone heah?"

"Naw. I ain't nevah been heah."

"Ya wanna be a newsie?"

"A what?"

"A newsie. Y'know. Sell da papes. Dat's what I do. I had a real good day. Sold all me papes."

"Huh. Well, I ain't got a job, an' theah ain't much I kin do, so... why not?" said Ann, smiling.

Snipeshooter smiled back. "C'mon, let's go back ta da lodgin' 'owse. It's real nice dere."

"'S dere any udda goyl newsies?" asked Ann curiously.

"Jist Lucky. She's been wit us fer a couple a months now. She's real nice. Not like me mudda, though. She's like one a da guys, now."

For most of the walk to The Lodging House, Ann and Snipeshooter were silent. It was early evening and the sunset made the city all sorts of lovely colors instead of the bland white and gray it had been earlier.

"Dis 's it. Da lodgin' 'owse. Home sweet home." Snipeshooter turned to Ann and said, "C'mon in. Ya gotta meet Mr. Kloppman. 'E's real nice, too. Like me grampa." He bounded up to the door with Ann close behind.

"'eya, Kloppy!" said Snipeshooter cheerfully. "Dis 's Ann Dryden, an' she's new heah, an' she's gonna be a newsie."

"Oh! It's about time we got another girl around here, isn't it?" he chuckled. "Hello, Ann."

"Hiya!" she said.

The attention-demanding dog barked loudly three times.

"Oh yeah, an' dat's her dog," added Snipeshooter.

"Well well well! We've never had a dog here before. Cats of all sorts..." Snipeshooter suddenly sobered, as did Mr. Kloppman. Ann wondered why. "And we had Cowboy's rat. But never a dog. Well, as long as it doesn't cause too much trouble, it can stay," offered Mr. Kloppman.

"T'ank ya, Mr. Kloppman! 'E won't be too much trouble," promised Ann.

"C'mon, Ann, let's go meet ev'rybody!" cried Snipeshooter, running up the stairs two at a time. Ann followed eagerly. Snipeshooter stopped at the top of the stairs and Ann, who had been looking behind her to make sure the dog was following, crashed into him.

The large room, which had been very noisy, suddenly fell silent.

"Who's dat?" a voice inquired.

"I dunno... none a ahr boys got red hair like dat," another said.

Ann sat up nervously. Snipeshooter stood up and announced, "'ey, everybody, dis 's Ann Dryden an' she's gonna be a newsie!"

The room remained silent.

"'ey, what 's yous guys bein' so quiet fer?" someone said. "Yous guys 's nevah quiet when we tells yous ta be quiet, an' now when yous should be bein' noisy, yous ain't! What's wrong wit yous guys?" The owner of that voice came over to the steps. "'eya, Ann. I'se Lucky. 're ya okay?"

"Yeah, I'se fine." As Lucky helped Ann to get up, the boys began chattering again. "Ya da only goyl around heah?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about it. Youse gonna be fine. C'mon, ya gotta meet Jack. 'E's da leader of all da newsies in Manhattan. 'E's real nice. So 's all da rest of da guys." Grabbing Ann's hand, Lucky pulled her down the rows of bunks, calling hello to all the guys and laughing.

Near the end of the row of bunks, a bunch of guys sat around playing cards. The air was thick with smoke.

"'eya, boys, dis 's Ann. Ann, dis 's Race an' Blink an' Specs an' Dutchy an' Boots an' Snitch an' Jack."

All the boys looked up and said hello. Jack set down his cards, stood up, and looked at the much smaller girl. Ann nervously looked up at him.

"'ey, Snipes! Gitcher rear ova heah!" shouted Jack.

Snipeshooter trotted over. "Yeah, Jack?"

"Wheah did ya find 'er?"

"Don't remembah."

"Well, how'd ya meet 'er?"

"I crashed inta 'er an' pushed 'er inta a puddle," he answered simply. "'eya, Race! Gimme onna dose cigahs?"

"Git yer own, ya bummah!" answered Race.

"Ya pushed 'er inta a puddle? Real nice a' ya, Snipes!" said Lucky jokingly, ruffling his hair.

"I didn't mean ta push 'er! It was a accident! Honest!"

"It was," added Ann.

"Well," said Jack slowly. "I guess we got us a new newsie."

Ann's small mouth spread into an enormous smile. Acceptance was never something she had much of, with her family. Her father had always been drunk, her mother was always "busy," Tommy was rarely home, and Ann had always ignored Rose, Jessie, and Gabriel.

"Lucky, show 'er around, awright?"

"Yeah. 'Ey, what bunks 're empty?"

"Uhh... dat one between Bumlets an' Crutchy. Below Specs."

Lucky nodded. "C'mon, Ann. Dere's room fer ya over heah. Jist put yer stuff over heah."

"'ey!" someone shouted. "Dat lousy dog jist stole onna me cigahs!"

Ann leapt up and found her dog with a cigar in its mouth, shredding the thing to pieces.

"Ya stupid dog! What'd ya do dat fer?" she cried, smacking it. "Bad dog!"

"Dat's yer dog?" asked Race.

"Yeah. I'se real sahry 'bout dat... Race?"

"Yeah, I'se Race."

"Look, I'll pay ya back fer it. I sweah."

He smiled and ruffled her hair. "Nah. Don't worry 'bout it, kid."

"Me name ain't 'kid,'" Ann growled. "Me name's Ann."

"But ya need a newsie name. Me mudda didn't call me Race, an' Lucky's mudda didn't call her Lucky."

Lucky, who had come over about halfway through the conversation, smiled and said, "Call 'er Ruby. Her hair's da culah a one."

"Yeah," agreed Race. "'ey, guys, listen up! Dis 's Ruby from now on, awright?"

All the guys agreed, and went back to whatever they had been doing. Ruby went back to her bunk and lay down. She was very tired, and was glad to have a real bed for the first time in three days. The dog curled up at the foot of her bed and, despite the noise, Ruby quickly fell asleep.

---

"Get up! These kids, they sleep the whole day! Get up! Skittery! Boots! Dutchy! Specs get up! Cowboy, c'mon, wake up. Lucky! Get up! Get up! Sell da papes! Sell da papes! Bumlets!" Mr. Kloppman was busy trying to wake up all the newsies, and the ones that were awake were getting dressed and heading for the washroom.

Ruby rolled over and muttered a string of obscene words. Maybe if I t'ink 'bout it hahd enough, 'e'll go away, thought Ruby.

Someone laughed. "So yer not a morning person, are ya, Ruby?" the voice asked cheerfully.

Ruby opened her eyes and saw a boy with brown hair and glasses laughing good-naturedly. "Naw, but obviously you 's," she muttered, finally sitting up and banging her head on the bunk above her in the process. "OW!"

The boy on the other side of her laughed. Ruby turned and glared at him, only making him laugh harder. She slowly stood up, stretched, and rummaged in her bag for her other pair of pants and a clean shirt. Once those were on, she followed the other boys into a large open washroom.

"Watch it, ya scabbah," someone growled as Ruby bumped into them in the confusion.

"Sahry," she hissed sarcastically. She looked up. Lucky, her long dishwater-blonde hair rumpled, was rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Aww, sahry Lucky! I didn't realize it was you. I ain't much of a mornin' poisson, I guess."

Lucky smiled and put an arm around Ruby. "I ain't, eidder. But Mush an' Skittery an' Specs an' Crutchy an' Blink 's. Dey's da nicest guys ta talk ta, dis early. Dey put ya in a real good mood." Lucky led the way to the water pump, where both the girls washed their faces with cold water.

"'eya Lucky! 'eya Ruby!" a boy called cheerfully.

"'Eya, Crutchy! How ya doin'?"

"Aww, I'se fine. How 're you?"

"Doin' real good. I'se in a pretty good mood already."

"That's a first," commented the boy with brown hair and glasses.

"Aww, shaddup, Four-eyes! It ain't like youse nevah in a bad mood!" laughed Lucky, pushing him jokingly.

"Specs ain't nevah in a bad mood. Really, 'e ain't," Crutchy commented.

"Now Skittery... well, 'e's a whole odda story," Lucky laughed. She finished combing her hair, tossed the comb to Ruby, and began tucking her hair up into her cap.

A tall boy with messy brown hair just glared at Lucky. "For a buck, I'll forget you ever said that."

"Ahh, youse as bad as Race," Lucky said.

"'eya, Lucky. G'mornin', Ruby," said Jack.

"G'mornin'!" said Lucky cheerfully as she kissed Jack.

"'Ey, 's da two of yous in love er sumpin'?" asked Ruby.

"Now dere's some old news," said Race as he walked by.

"Yeah, we 's, ya gotta problem?" challenged Jack. He laughed at Ruby's panicked look. "I'se jokin', kid. Lighten up."

"Why do ya always call goyls 'kid?'" asked Lucky suddenly. "When I foist got heah, it was 'kid,' 'kid,' 'kid!' Well maybe goyls don't like bein' called 'kid,' ya evah t'ink a dat?"

"Sahry, Lucky. I don't even t'ink 'bout it. I'll try ta stop, dough," he said. "Yous goyls done?"

"Yeah," said Ruby, handing the comb back to Lucky. "'eya, Snipes! I've been lookin' fer ya all mornin'! Wheah ya been?"

"I'se been right heah, Ruby," he said cheerfully. Suddenly, barking alerted everyone of Ruby's dog's presence.

"I gots ta name ya," Ruby commented. As she passed her bunk, she grabbed her winter coat. December weather in New York was intensely cold.

Jack looked down at the little curly black dog. "Night."

"What, like onna dose guys who rode around on a horse with a sword, an' wore all da metal clothes?" asked Ruby. "We learned 'bout 'em in school."

"Well, I meant like... like not day, y'know? But 'e could be da odda kinda night."

"Knight it 's," said Ruby cheerfully. "G'mornin', Mr. Kloppman!"

"Good morning, Ann," he replied.

Ruby and Snipeshooter bounded out of the door ahead of Lucky and Jack. Snipeshooter led the way, chattering away and barely letting Ruby get a word in edgewise.

"'ey, Jack, I think Snipes has got his self a goyl friend," said Blink as he caught up with Lucky and Jack.

"Ya t'ink?" asked Lucky, watching Ruby and Snipes walk along ahead of them.

"Naw, I don't t'ink," said Jack. "Ruby's too li'l. She's... how old 's she, anyways?"

"I dunno. I don't think she told nobody, yet," Blink said. He, Jack, and Lucky came up to the gate of the circulation center.

"'Ey, Mr. Bucket! Ya wanna let us in?" shouted Jack, scrambling up to the top of the gate.

"Dese 's for da newsies!" a voice shouted. With a triumphant yell, Jack pushed the gate open. He led the pack of boys into the circulation center.

"So how many ya buyin', Ruby?" asked Lucky. "Two fer a penny."

"What do ya t'ink? T'ink I could sell fifty?"

Lucky shrugged. "Staht out with twenty er so. Den come back fer more."

Ruby nodded. "I'se gonna git thoity," she said.

"Lucky, ya tellin' da kid how many papes ta buy? Don't listen ta 'er, Rube. When me an' Jack first found 'er, she had two hundred papes left."

"Aww, shut yer mouth, Race! I sold a hundred dat day, in case ya don't remember," she said, shoving him jokingly. "Thoity's a good numbah ta staht out wit, Ruby."

Ruby nodded, pulling a few coins out of her pocket. She was next in line, and only Crutchy was ahead of her.

"Next!" a man's voice called.

Ruby bravely stepped up to the counter and set the coins on the counter. "Thoity papes."

"Well, if it ain't a new newsie," the man said slowly.

"Put a lid on it, Bucket!" yelled Race, as Lucky said, "Shut yer mouth, Bucket!"

"I told ya kids a million times. It's Bouquet. Boo-kay. Can ya say dat?"

"Give da goyl her papes, Bucket," demanded Lucky.

"Oh, another goyl newsie, eh? Yous goyls. So demandin'."

Jack came over to the window. "Put a lid on it, Bucket, er we'se gonna be headin' straight ta Hearst. Er da Sun. Still early enough ta git ovah ta dah Sun, an' sell some papes."

The man grumbled. "Thirty papes!"

Ruby grabbed the papers and moved out of Lucky's way.

"C'mon, Ruby! Let's go sell da papes!" said Snipeshooter eagerly.

"'Ey, Snipes, why dontcha let me an' Lucky look out fer da goyl today?"

"But, Jack, I know all da rules! We ain't lyin', we's jist improvin' da truth. An' no drinkin' on da job. An' headlines don't sell papes, newsies sell papes. An' always say t'ank you," Snipeshooter rattled off. "'Sides, I found her an' I told her 'bout bein' a newsie! Aww, c'mon, Cowboy! Please? I'll make sure that she stays away from da Delancy bruddas, an' I'll keep 'er outta trouble."

"I kin keep myself outta trouble!" cried Ann.

"Snipes, ya ain't very big ta be keepin' anyone outta trouble but yerself. Jist let me an' Lucky show 'er da ropes fer today, an' she kin go witcha tomorrow, awright?"

Snipeshooter frowned. "Awright. See ya later, Ruby!" He bounded off, shouting, "'ey, Boots, wait up! Boots!"

Lucky came over, carrying a huge bundle of newspapers. "So, 's da two a yous bummahs ready ta staht sellin' da papes?"

"We sure 's, Lucky," said Jack, shouldering his huge bundle of papers. "So, Ruby, do ya remember all da stuff Snipes said?"

"No drinkin' on da job," she answered quickly. "Uh... we ain't lyin'?"

"Naw, we ain't. We's jist improvin' da truth a li'l. An' headlines don't sell papes. Newsies sell papes. An' always say t'ank you. Kin ya remember dat?"

"'Course I kin! I ain't stupid," Ruby said quickly. "So... wheah we goin'?"

"All over da place," Lucky laughed. "We'se gonna sell a couple a papes, an' ya see how da expoits woik."

Ruby smiled. "So, 's yous guys da best?"

"We sure 's, kid. Er, Ruby," Jack said. He glanced over the headline. "'Mayor's daughter ta be wed tonight.' Huh... Blink's gonna be heartbroken..." After a moment, Jack shouted, "Mayor's dautta marryin' street trash! Extry! Extry! Read all 'bout it!"

People lined up to buy papers from him. Lucky was still perusing the papers when Ruby spotted a headline. "Small trash fire in former lodging house."

"Extry! Extry!" shouted Ruby. "Major lodging 'owse in flames! Thousands a dollars worth of damage! Extry! Extry!" The people lined up just as quickly as they had for Jack, if not faster. "T'ank you, sir! T'ank you, ma'am! 'ey, Lucky! Look, I sold all me papes!"

Jack and Lucky glanced to the flame-haired newsie, then to each other. Was it true that the small girl had just sold thirty papers before Lucky even sold one?

"'ey, Ruby, how old 're ya?" asked Jack.

"Ten, an' I'se gonna be eleven in January," she replied. "Why?"

Jack raised his eyebrows. This kid was a born newsie. She was even better than Lucky and Jack had thought that Lucky was the best... well, after himself, of course. Sure, the younger newsies always sold more papes, but that was because they acted young. Ruby hadn't.

Finally, Jack said, "Oh, I was jist wonderin'. Ya did real good, Ruby."

"T'anks!" she said, her face lighting up. "So wheah we goin' now?"

"We's goin' back ta da coiculation centah, ta git ya s'more papes," Lucky answered.

By six o'clock, Ruby had sold 76 papes, and had wanted to sell more, but Lucky and Jack both advised to save her money.

"But I'se made sevendy-six cents! An' I'se got two more dollahs back at da lodgin' 'owse! I kin git more! I kin sell more, honest, I can!" protested Ruby.

"Ruby, by now, most ah Noo Yawk Cidy has onna ahr papes," Lucky said.

Ruby pouted for a few minutes as the trio walked through the crowded streets. After a moment, she said, "'Ey, Lucky, wheah'd ya git yer cap?"

"Aww, it was me brudda Frankie's, an' 'e... 'E passed away, an' when I ran away, I took it."

"Oh," Ruby said. "How much do dey cost?"

"I t'ink ya got enough, Ruby. Wanna git one?"

"Yeah!" Ruby nodded vigorously.

Jack smiled. "Go in dat stoah an' git one. An' hurry up. We wanna meet all da guys fer dinnah, don't we?"

Ruby ran off and into the store.

"Ain't she cute, Jack?" said Lucky.

"Lucky, I t'ink youse gittin' a lil goylish, now dat youse fifteen," he said.

"I am not!" protested Lucky.

"Yeah you 's."

"I am not, ya scabbah!" she cried, punching Jack half-jokingly. He blocked her punches fairly easily, only getting hit every once in a while.

"Well, I know one thing that ya ain't."

"Oh yeah? Well, what's dat?" challenged Lucky, planting her hands on her hips and glaring at Jack, fighting a smile.

"Ya ain't gittin' any biggah." With that, Jack picked Lucky up and swung her over his shoulder.

"Jack, put me down!" she shouted. "Ya got bony shouldahs, an' dis hoits!"

Jack shifted her slightly. "Ya know I ain't gonna, an' ya know ya don't want me ta, eidder."

"Yeah, but I'se gots ta say somethin', don't I? I mean, I'se got a reputation an' all."

Jack laughed. "Ya sure do, Lucky."

Some people passing the couple stared, others smiled, and some just ignored them completely. For a few minutes, Lucky just stayed over Jack's shoulder.

Just as Lucky was beginning to get uncomfortable, Ruby came bounding out of the store, a huge grin on her face. Lucky wiggled out of Jack's grasp and stood beside him.

"Look at me cap! Look! Look, Lucky, ain't it be-u-tiful?" asked Ruby proudly.

"Sure 's, Ruby," agreed Jack and Lucky.

"C'mon, let's hurry up an' git ta Tibby's. I'se gonna bet all da odda guys 's already dere."

Jack and Lucky began walking faster, but Ruby, who was much shorter and a few steps behind, soon got lost in a crowd. She pushed through the people, but Jack and Lucky were nowhere to be seen. Ruby had no idea where she was going, and no idea where she was, either. She looked everywhere for someone she knew, but not a single face was familiar.

"'eya, Ruby! How'd yer first day go, huh?" asked a boy with dark hair. He noticed Ruby's confused look and laughed. "I'se Mush. Doncha remember seein' me last night?"

"Nope, sahry," Ruby said. "'ey, wheah's dat place that Jack was talkin' about... he said all da guys were gonna beat us dere..."

"Y'mean Tibby's? It's right up heah. I'se goin' theah, too. Dey got some delicious food. Real good."

"Good cause I'se stahvin'!" announced Ruby.

Mush laughed. "C'mon, Ruby. Heah we are." He pushed open the door and led the way in to a crowded, noisy room full of the Manhattan newsies. Dishes clattered and everyone who wasn't eating was talking and laughing.

As Ruby followed Mush in, the room fell silent and a chair scraped against the floor. A boy of average height, wearing a gray hat and red suspenders came up and stood in front of Ruby. He spun a black cane with a gold top in one hand and glared at Ruby.

"So, Jackie-boy..." he said. "So dis 's yer new newsie."

---

"Yeah, dat's me new newsie, Spot. Ya wanna make somethin' of it?" challenged Jack calmly, standing up. All the newsies watched Spot, Jack, and Ruby with interest.

"So what's yer name, kid?" asked Spot.

"Ruby," she answered nervously. The newsie was bigger than Ruby, though he wasn't big by any standards, and she felt quite intimidated by him.

He nodded slowly. "I guess the kid's awright," he said, returning to his seat. "Even if she's a goyl, she's awright."

As Spot sat down, all the newsies began chattering again. The room was filled with a general roar of conversation and clattering of dishes. It was homelike, in an odd sort of way.

"Ruby! Ruby, over heah!" shouted someone. Ruby turned and saw Snipeshooter standing on a chair and waving his arms in an attempt to get Ruby's attention.

Ruby grinned and ran over. "'Eya, Snipes!"

"C'mon, I saved ya a seat. Dis 's Boots."

"'Eya," Ruby said cheerfully. She, Snipeshooter, and Boots were all very talkative and could barely stop talking long enough to eat their dinner.

"Ain't yous t'ree done yet?" asked Jack impatiently. "Cause we's leavin' wit yous er witout yous."

Ruby gulped down the last of her sarsaparilla, put the leftover pieces of roast beef in between two pieces of bread, tugged on her coat, and ran after Jack and Lucky. "C'mon, Snipes! Hurry up, will ya? Hurry up, Boots!"

"Awright, awright, I'se comin', I'se comin'!" shouted Snipeshooter. "Hold yer horses!" He finished the last of his dinner and came galloping after Ruby. Boots was close behind.

"C'mon, Ruby!" called Lucky. "You, too, Snipes!"

Ruby and Snipeshooter ran to catch up with Lucky. Lucky threw one of her arms around Ruby and the other around Snipeshooter.

"Whatcha say we play some pokah when we's git back ta da lodgin' 'owse, huh?" asked Lucky.

"I dunno how," Ruby said.

"Ya don't know how ta play pokah?" asked Race incredulously.

Ruby shook her head.

"Well, we'se gonna teach ya," offered Race.

"Really? Aww, t'anks yous guys!" said Ruby. "Yous guys 's so nice ta me, an' I ain't nevah done anything fer yous guys."

"Don't worry about it, Ruby," Lucky said.

---

Back at The Lodging House, Race, Snipeshooter, Jack, Lucky, and Ruby sat on two bunks (with Snipeshooter on the floor) playing poker. Race gave Ruby tips throughout the game and kept looking at her cards to make sure she was doing the right thing. Jack, Race, and Snipeshooter were all smoking cigars. Knight wandered around, looking at everyone's cards before he finally settled down in the middle of the circle and fell asleep. The Lodging House was always noisy and smoky, but that night it was especially so. Ruby was beginning to think of it as home. The Lodging House was already more of a home than her house had ever been.

"Ruuuuby?" called Jack, waving a hand in front of her eyes.

"What? Oh, sahry... I was jist... um... I'se awful tired... I t'ink I'se gonna go ta sleep now..." she trailed off. Setting down her cards, she shuffled across the room to her bunk. She quickly pulled off her shirt and pants, leaving only her undershirt and boys' shorts she had been wearing. She lay in her bed, pretending to be asleep. In all honesty, though, she was beginning to miss her family… just a little. She wasn't homesick- how could she be, when her former residence hadn't even been considered home?

Tommy was nice ta me... sometimes... when 'e felt like bein' nice... thought Ruby. When 'e wasn't inna bad mood, 'e would talk ta me. An' when we was li'l an' we was in school, 'e was real nice. An' Pa loved me lots. If 'e didn't always treat me like sucha goyl, I woulda liked 'im. An' Jessie an' Rose an' Gabriel was real nice- why'd I always ignore dem? Dey liked me lots, I know dey did. Dey was always sayin' "Ruby, play wit us!" an' "Ruby, will you brush me 'air?" an' "Ruby, I did real good in school today!" Dey loved me. I was so mean ta 'em! I wish I could take it all back now… And with that thought, Ruby began to cry quietly.

"Ruby? 're ya awright?"

Ruby sat up. She hadn't noticed, but while she was pretending to be asleep, all the boys had gone to sleep. The room was dark and filled with snoring. The only illumination was the light from the moon shining in one of the windows. Snipeshooter stood at the end of her bunk, peering over at her.

Ruby rubbed her eyes and sniffled. "Yeah, I'se awright. Ya wanna siddown?"

Snipeshooter slid onto Ruby's bed. "Why was ya cryin'?"

"Aww, I dunno. I didn't even like me mudda er me fadda er me sistahs er me bruddas very much but... I miss 'em a li'l. Ya know?"

Snipeshooter shook his head. "Me fadda died b'fore I was born, an' me mudda died right aftah. Me olda sistah watched out fer me till I was six, I t'ink. An' den she got married an' left."

"So how'd ya git ta be a newsie?" asked Ruby curiously.

"I was jist wanderin' 'round da streets, an' Bumlets an' Specs found me. Dey's like me bruddas, now. All da guys are. An' Lucky's like me sistah."

Ruby nodded slowly. "How long have you been a newsie?"

"Almost six years. Six years in da summah." He paused. "Wheah's yer fam'ly?"

"A couple a days ago, I was comin' home from bein' out in da woods- I was always out dere. I didn't like bein' at home. Me mudda an' me fadda was always fightin', cause me fadda was always drunk. An' me oldah brudda Tommy would yell at bof a 'em, an' me youngah sistahs Jessie an' Rose would cry, an' me youngah brudda Gabriel would pretend like 'e wasn't scared, but 'e was scared lots.

"Anyways, I was comin' home an' Ma was in da wagon wit 'er boyfriend Billy- dey was sneakin' around ever since I kin remembah, an' probly b'fore dat, too. Well, Ma an' Billy was in da wagon wit Jessie an' Rose an' Gabriel, an' dey wouldn't tell me wheah dey was goin'. Ma said it didn't mattah, cause dey ain't nevah comin' back. So den dey stahted goin' wheahevah dey was goin', an' I stahted runnin' back ta da 'owse, an' I ran inta Tommy. I told 'im dat Ma was gone, an' 'e said dat 'e knew, an' 'e was leavin', too. An' I begged 'im ta take me wit 'im, but 'e said no.

"So I went back ta da 'owse, an' it was empty. An' dere was all dese frilly lil dresses dat me fadda ordered- 'e won all dis money gamblin' in town, an' 'e said 'e was gonna send me ta goyls' school in England er France er somewheah. I told 'im I wasn't goin', an' dat I was leavin'. An' 'e got mad at me, but I got away an' I cut me 'air, an', well, heah I am."

"Jeez, I'se sahry," said Snipeshooter sympathetically.

"Aww, it's awright. I feel bettah now dat I told somebody. Dey was nevah very nice ta me, anyways. 'Specially Ma. She wanted me ta be 'a lady.' I told 'er an' told 'er I was a tomboy an' I'se always gonna be a tomboy, but she nevah listened."

"I'se awful glad I ain't a goyl," he said.

"I'se awful glad I don't gotta act like a goyl no more, evah." Ruby grinned. "I ain't tiahed, 're you?"

"Naw."

"I 'ate bein' stuck inside, dontcha?"

"We ain't stuck. C'mon." Grabbing Ruby's wrist, Snipeshooter pulled her over to the window, glanced around, and slid it open. He scrambled out onto the fire escape and up onto the roof.

"Wow! It's awful purdy up heah, ain't it?" asked Ruby.

"Sure 's." Snipeshooter leaned against the wall edging the roof and stared up at the sky.

Ruby quietly sat next to him, watching the stars in the crystal clear sky. She sat perfectly still, looking amazed at the wonders of the universe.

She's awful nice, ain't she?... thought Snipeshooter.

No, ya can't t'ink dat about Ruby! She's like onna da guys now! Oh, gosh, Snipes! Ya like 'er! Ya know ya do!

Well... so what if I do?... another part of his mind protested. She's jist 'bout two yeahs youngah dan ya... she's awful purdy an' awful nice... an' ya git ta see 'er every single day! So why not?

Well... I'se gonna ask Jack... er maybe Blink. Yeah, I'se gonna ask Blink. Jack would jist laugh at me. But Blink... 'E won't tell, if I ask 'im not to! Yeah, I'se gonna ask Blink in da mornin'… Snipeshooter looked over to Ruby and saw that she was asleep. Now that he thought about it, he was pretty tired himself...

---

"Snipes! Ruby! Yous guys! Wheah 's yous?" a voice urgently called.

"Snipes, gitcher rear out from wheahevah yer hidin'!" another voice shouted.

"'Ey, look! Da window's opened!"

"Ya don't t'ink dey left, do ya?" the first voice asked nervously.

"Don't git noivis! Dey probly jist... went ta see da sunrise er sumpin..." the second voice suggested.

"Why would Snipes an' Ruby wanna see da sunrise?" the first voice asked.

"It was jist a idea," said the second voice.

"Aww, will da two a yous jist shut up? An' one a yous go see if dey's up on da roof," the third voice ordered.

"Fine, I'se goin', I'se goin'," grumbled the second voice. Footsteps echoed on the metal fire escape. "Snipes! Ruby! 's yous two up heah?" Jack stepped onto the roof. Just as he was about to call their names again, he spotted them. They were leaning against the ledge, fast asleep. Ruby's head was against Snipeshooter's shoulder, and his head leaned against her head. They looked absolutely adorable.

"Lucky! Lucky, c'mere," hissed Jack urgently.

Lucky hurried up the fire escape, pulling her cap on. "What?" She peered over Jack's shoulder and fell silent. "Aww... ain't dat cute?"

Just then, Ruby muttered something and sat up. Her movement caused Snipeshooter to also wake up.

"It's too bright..." muttered Ruby. "'ey, wheah am I?"

"Yer on da roof," said Jack.

Ruby and Snipeshooter both turned and looked at him.

"Oh yeah... 'membah, we came up heah last night?" said Ruby.

Snipeshooter nodded. "Yeah. So, what time 's it, Jack?"

"Time ta git up. An' hurry up. We've been lookin' fer da two of yous fer... oh, about five minutes, at least!"

Ruby jumped to her feet and hurried into The Lodging House. Lucky followed, while Jack waited for Snipeshooter.

"She's nice, huh, Snipes?" asked Jack, deciding to pursue the subject of Ruby and Snipeshooter.

"Yeah, she sure 's," agreed Snipeshooter.

Jack slung an arm around Snipeshooter's shoulders. "How old 're ya, Snipes?"

"I'se gonna be thoiteen in March."

"Huh. So, ya staht likin' any goyls yet?"

Snipeshooter's eyes widened noticably, and Jack's suspicions were confirmed.

Does he know? He must know, why would he ask if he didn't know? But if he knew, why would he ask? He's gonna tell Lucky, an' Race, an' all da udda guys, an' dey's all gonna laugh at me! An' den 'e's gonna tell Ruby- oh no, whaddo I do?

Jack laughed and clapped Snipeshooter on the back. "We kin talk about it latah."

Snipeshooter nodded and hurried into the washroom.

---

By four o'clock, Snipeshooter and Ruby had sold a total of one hundred and thirteen papes between them. They were both in good moods and were glad to be going back to The Lodging House. For Ruby, it meant a chance to see Knight- sadly, Jack suggested that Knight stay at The Lodging House all day. There was enough trouble to get into on the streets for newsies, he said, without a loud dog being around. Besides, winter was in full swing, and at least one of the boys was always sick. The sick boys enjoyed Knight's company while the newsies were gone, from seven in the morning until five in the evening, usually later.

And Snipeshooter was looking forward to having a long, man-to-man talk with Jack. Jack was always done selling his papes for the day by four o'clock, and he usually returned to The Lodging House for a nap when Medda was out of town, as she was for the entire winter.

Ruby and Snipeshooter darted up the stairs. Knight heard Ruby's voice and came racing over to the stairs. By the time Ruby had reached the top, Knight was eagerly waiting.

"Aww, hiya, Knight!" Ruby sat on the top step to fuss over her pet for a few minutes while Snipeshooter went into the upper level of the building. That day, no one was sick. Skittery was feeling well again, apparently. The room appeared to be empty, but Snipeshooter sensed a presence.

Finally, he spotted Jack lying on his bunk, fast asleep. Snipeshooter went over to him and shook him. "Cowboy! Cowboy, wake up! Jack! Jack, wake up!"

Jack mumbled something and opened his eyes. "What da... oh, sahry, Snipes. Thought you were ol' Kloppy, an' it was time to git up. Yeah... jist wait one minute." Jack nodded towards Ruby.

Just then, Lucky came darting up the stairs with Blink. "'Eya, Ruby! 'Ey, Knight!" Lucky petted the dog. "'Ey Snipes, 'ey Jack. How ya doin'?"

"I'se awright. 'Ey, Lucky, why doncha show Ruby around er somethin'? An' we kin meetcha at Tibby's fer dinnah," Jack suggested. He and Lucky had planned this afternoon out earlier.

"Awright. C'mon, Ruby, let's go! 'Ey, maybe we kin meet Davey an' Les! Dey's real nice! Bye, yous guys! See ya at Tibby's!"

"Bye!" echoed the ever-energetic Ruby as she waved exuberantly and clattered down the stairs.

Jack waited a few moments to make sure the girls were really gone. After a few minutes, Jack began talking.

"So, Snipes... so ya like Ruby..." Jack said.

"Ya do?" asked Blink.

"Shh!" hissed Snipeshooter.

"Nobody's heah," Jack assured.

"Yeah, I like 'er. So what?" asked Snipeshooter, putting on an unconcerned air.

"So why do ya like 'er?" questioned Blink.

Snipeshooter paused. "Cause she's real nice ta me, even though I wasn't real nice on da foist day. I pushed 'er inta a mud puddle an' all, but she didn't mind. An' she's real purdy. An'... an'... an' I jist like 'er! Why do I gottta have a reason?"

"Calm down, Snipes! Yer allowed ta like 'er fer no reason," said Jack. "We was jist wonderin'."

"So what 're you gonna do about it?" asked Blink quietly.

---

Meanwhile, two young girls were having almost the same conversation while walking the streets of Manhattan.

"So how old 're ya, Ruby?"

"I'se gonna be 'leven in January. How old's you?"

"I was fifteen in February. Gonna be sixteen this wintah." Lucky paused. "You evah liked a guy b'fore?"

Ruby paused. "Not really. All da guys at me ol' school was mean. Dey putted snakes in me desk, an' pulled me 'air, an' always teased me. I'se glad I don't go ta school no more."

"What about any of ahr boys? Ya like any of 'em?"

"Yeah, dey's all real nice."

"No, not like dat," Lucky said in frustration. She was ready to pull her hair out. Ruby was being very difficult! She was a smart kid, even though she was only ten. She had to know what Lucky meant! She was just avoiding the question by acting dumb. "Ah ya sweet on any a ahr boys?"

Ruby paused, glancing around the city at the buildings, people, carriages, anywhere but at Lucky. Why did she want to know, anyway? "It ain't nonna yer business," Ruby finally said defiantly.

"Aww, don't be like dat, Ruby. I was jist wonderin'... y'know, I can't talk 'bout dis wit any a da guys. Dey makes funna me. Say I'se too goylish, an' I know I ain't. All goyls like a guy at some point, right? I'se awful glad youse heah, so I kin talk 'bout da guys witcha."

Ruby silently pouted for a block or so. Finally, she looked at Lucky, fear obvious in her eyes, and said, "D'ya promise ya won't tell no one, evah?"

"Cross me 'art," agreed Lucky, drawing a quick X over her heart.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah... yeah, I like onna 'ahr boys.'"

"Who?" asked Lucky curiously.

"Y'know who."

"No, I don't. Honest. I wouldn't ask if I knew, would I?" Lucky grinned.

After another pause, Ruby whispered to Lucky, "Snipes."

Lucky nodded. "So why d'ya like 'im?"

"Oh, I dunno. 'E's jist real nice... an' 'e's good-lookin', too. An' 'e's only two yeahs oldah dan me."

"Ya gonna tell 'im?" asked Lucky.

"I can't! Cause 'e'll laugh at me an' tell all da oddah guys, an' den dey'll laugh at me! An' den dey'll all 'ate me, an' I'll be livin' out on da streets again, an' I'll 'ave nowheah ta go! Who 're ya kiddin', Lucky? I can't tell 'im."

"But what if 'e wouldn't laugh atcha, an' what if 'e wouldn't tell da oddah guys?"

"Well, if I knew he wouldn't tell 'em... den I'd tell 'im..." Ruby admitted.

"Ruby, Snipes wouldn't hurt a fly. 'E really wouldn't. If ya told 'im, 'e wouldn't laugh atcha... even if 'e didn't like ya like dat. 'E'd take it ta da grave. Honest. Snipes 's onna me best friends, an' I know 'im real well. 'E's real good at keepin' secrets."

"So ya t'ink I should tell 'im?"

Lucky nodded.

"When?"

"Whenevah youse ready ta tell 'im."

"Lucky, I can't do dis. Do I gotta do dis tanight?"

"Naw, you don't gotta. But it'll be a lot easier dan waitin'. Waitin's da woist. An' if he don't like ya- I don't see why 'e wouldn't, dough- den you kin keep livin' yer life, insteada waitin' ta see what 'e says, right?"

"Awright." Ruby took a deep breath and stepped inside the door to Tibby's. She was glad to, for it was very cold outside, and warm inside. The place was nearly empty, except for two young boys sitting at the corner table.

"'Eya, Ruby! Dis 's Les Jacobs. Les, dis 's Ruby. She's ahr new newsie," Boots introduced.

Les and Ruby both spit on their hands and shook. Lucky and Boots exchanged relieved looks. When Les's baby sister had arrived, he had caused quite a fuss about giving up his position as the youngest in his family. All the newsies had worried about forcing Les to give up the title of "Youngest Newsie," but he seemed to be handling it well.

Ruby slid into her seat. "Ya see Jack er Blink er Snipes yet?"

"Naw. Dey'se gonna be heah soon, dough," reassured Boots.

For an hour, Ruby patiently waited. Most of the newsies drifted in and out, coming in groups or alone. A few stayed to keep Ruby, Lucky, Boots, and Les company.

After ten minutes, the less-patient female newsie started pacing the room. By the time half an hour was up, Lucky was ready to pull her hair out, or murder Jack for taking so long, or quite possibly both.

"Wheah da heck 's dey?" cried Lucky.

David Jacobs, who had just entered the room, waved hello, tossed his coat on a chair, and came over to Lucky. "Who are you waiting for?" he asked.

"Jack an' Blink an' Snipes. Ya see 'em?"

"No. It's... five forty-three. They'll probably be here soon, Lucky," David reassured.

Lucky sighed.

"So where's your new newsie? I've been hearing everybody talking about her."

"Yeah, dat's Ruby. Ruby, dis 's David Jacobs. 'E's a real good friend a ours. Usedta be a newsie."

"Nice to meet you," said David.

Ruby glanced at the boy. He seemed nice enough. She spit on her hand and held it out. "Yeah, nice ta meet ya."

The city was growing darker as they spoke, and snowflakes whirled in the air.

"Well... it's gettin' awful cold an' dark..." noted Boots.

As Lucky opened her mouth to speak, the door was thrown open. Blink, looking frantic and tired, panted, "You guys! Snipes got his self thrown in da refuge!"

---

"What?" cried Lucky and Ruby.

Blink shut the door and stumbled into a seat, attempting to regain his breath. "Me an' Jack an' Snipes was runnin', cause we knew we was gonna be late. We's real sahry, Lucky, honest! Dere was a lotta people still in da streets, an' Snipes accidentally bumped inta one a 'em, an' dis lady stahts screamin' fer da bulls. She kept yellin' at poor Snipes, an' da bulls come an' told Snipes ta go wit 'em, an' we know dey's gonna take 'im ta da refuge!"

"What's da refuge?" asked Ruby timidly.

"It's jail for kids," answered David quickly. "Well, you guys, we gotta get him out!"

"Ya really t'ink we kin git 'im out, Dave?" asked Lucky.

"Well... sure, why not? Blink, where's Jack?"

"'E went runnin' aftah da bulls. Probly tryin' to bail Snipes out right now."

"Well, c'mon! Let's go!" cried Lucky.

Ruby grabbed her coat and cap and followed the small crowd of other newsies out the door, buttoning the six buttons parading down the side of her coat. She tugged on her cap and went running through the streets after the other newsies.

After a few minutes, the crowd reached a stone building with a tall gate to the side.

"So dis 's it, Ruby. Da refuge," said Boots.

"It's ugly," she said in disgust.

David laughed.

"You ain't nevah seen da inside, Ruby," said Blink bitterly. He'd had more than his share of the refuge in nearly-eighteen years.

"So how we gonna git Snipes out?" asked Boots.

All was silent for a few minutes.

"Well... I guess we could-"

"Shh!" hissed Lucky, cutting David off. The small group moved off to the side and into a narrow passage between the refuge and the building on its left. David and Lucky peered out to see who was leaving the refuge.

A carriage with a tall, wealthy looking gentleman sitting inside rolled by the alley. After pausing for a moment, Lucky and David left the alley and looked inside the tall gates. No sign of Jack or Snipeshooter.

"So... whaddo we do now, Dave?" asked Lucky quietly.

He shook his head. "I don't know if there's anything we can do, right now." He was about to say more when everyone heard a piercing whistle. Lucky, Boots, Blink, David, and Ruby all looked around for the source of the whistle.

"Ovah heah, ya bummahs!" someone called quietly.

David was first to spot the leader of the Manhattan newsies. He glanced around and dashed over to one of his only friends. The other four followed David to a small alley across the street. Jack was guarding the entrance, and farther back in the alley was...

"Snipes!" cried Lucky, hugging the younger newsie. "So ya got out, huh?"

"Yup! I knew Cowboy'd git me out! I knew it! T'anks, Jack!"

"Any time, Snipes."

Ruby ran over to her friend and hugged him tightly. "I thought you weren't gonna git out!"

Snipeshooter hugged the smaller newsie back. I could git used ta dis, he thought. "We always gets out. Don't worry."

Ruby stepped back, concern marring her tiny, not very feminine face. "You sure youse awright?" When Snipeshooter nodded, her face spread into a full grin. "Den let's go git us some food!"

---

"Food shortages strike everywheah!"

"Extry! Extry! Hundreds stahvin'!"

"All sorts a food runnin' short by da minute!"

"T'anks, mistah, an' gooday ta ya!" Ruby slipped the handful of coins into her pockets. "Geez, we sure 's doin' good today, huh, Snipes?"

"Sure 's," he agreed. "T'anks, lady. Have a nice day now." He quickly counted the coins in his hand. "Geemaneez! I must have fifty cents heah!"

"Wow! We's gots ta come heah more often!" Ruby grinned.

Snipeshooter looked at her. She's so cute, he thought helplessly. He slung an arm carelessly around her shoulders. "C'mon, let's go."

Ruby put her free hand around Snipeshooter and they walked off to... well... wherever they were going. Snipeshooter knew his way around Manhattan much better than Ruby did, so Snipeshooter always led the way and chose where they would sell the papes that day.

When the duo reached a crowded, noisy street, they reluctantly let go of each other and began screaming headlines over the noise of merchants, customers, boys, and pigeons.

"Excuse me," a quiet voice said, tapping Ruby on the shoulder. "May I please have a paper?"

"Sure." Ruby turned and nearly gasped! Her very own mother was about to purchase a paper!

---

Mrs. Dryden reached into her pocket and sifted through the coins until she found a penny. When she looked back up, a strangely adorable ragamuffin was standing in front of her, holding out a paper. The small child wore completely unmatched, slightly ragged clothes: a green cap, a sky blue shirt peeking out from under an oversized brown wool man's peacoat that fell halfway down her calves, gray pants that looked as if they'd been hemmed with a pocket knife, and battered brown boots. Strands of fiery orange-red hair peeked out from under her cap, and bright blue eyes shone unexpectly.

The thin-faced woman felt tears spring to her eyes. Both her hands rose quickly to cover her face, and the copper coin fell in her haste.

"'Ey, lady, 're you awright?" asked the child, the concern clear in her voice. "Want me ta git a doctah er sumpin?"

"No, no, I'm fine, thank you. It's just... you remind me so of my daughter Ann!"

The newsie shifted uneasily. "Wheah's yer dautta?"

"Ann? Oh, I don't know. I was foolish... I left her, her father, and her brother... I was so selfish... I'm sorry, I don't mean to bother you with my troubles. Here's a quarter." Mrs. Dryden fumbled in her pocket again, handed the child a quarter, and snatched the paper out of her hands, leaving Ruby standing stunned in the middle of the street, quite confused and sad.

"'Ey, Ruby," Snipeshooter said, laying a hand firmly on her shoulder. "Ruby, you awright?"

"Snipes... dat was me mudda..." said Ruby, still dazed.

"What? Yer mudda? What'd you say? Ya tell 'er it's you?"

She shook her head. "Who 're ya kiddin'? I can't tell 'er! She'd take me back home an' I'd hafta live wit 'er an' Billy an' Gabriel an' Jessie an' Rose! Dat'd be torchah. Er she'd send me ta dat goyls' school in England er France er wheahevah. Nah, I likes bein' a newsie. Why would I tell 'er?" asked Ruby confidently.

---

After meeting up with Lucky and Jack for dinner, Snipeshooter and Ruby returned to The Lodging House and were greeted with the usual turmoil.

"'Ey, ya scabbah! Dat's me money!"

"No it ain't! Dis 's me money an' dat's yer money!"

"I made more dan dat! Dat's me money ya bummah! Now give it back!"

"'Ey cheesehead! Git off me bunk!"

"Dis ain't yer bunk!"

"Who's up fer some pokah?"

"Me!"

"Home sweet home," whispered Jack with a smile. He observed the scene quietly from the top of the stairs for a moment while Snipeshooter, Ruby, and Lucky scattered. After he was done thinking for the time being, Jack bounced into the scene, calling, "'Ey, wheah's yous guys playin' pokah? Count me in!"

Snipeshooter lit a cigar and inhaled slowly. "Ahh... been a while since I'se had a real good cigah... ya want one, Ruby?"

"Yeah, sure! Why not? I ain't nevah tried one b'fore but, 'ey, now's as good a time as any!" she said cheerfully.

Race tossed her a cigar and a match. Ruby quickly lit the cigar and inhaled as everyone watched her reaction. She removed the cigar from her lips, exhaled, and smiled. "I like it," she announced.

The boys laughed. "Now yer a true newsie," pronounced Blink, clapping her on the back.

A true newsie... thought Ruby. In only t'ree days. Dey accept me more dan me fam'ly evah did, an' I knew 'em fer ten yeahs. Dey's nicer dan me fam'ly, dough. Yeah, I t'ink I'se gonna like it heah a whole lot...

---

"Gabriel, can you watch your sisters for a few moments? I've got to step out and get a paper," said Danielle Dryden as she tied her shawl on and reached for her hat.

"But Ma, dey's tryin' ta make me play dolls wit 'em!" protested Gabriel. The two little girls peered around from behind the bed and giggled.

"Gabriel, just be good and watch your sisters," insisted Mrs. Dryden. "You're seven; you can watch them for a few minutes!"

"But Ma-"

"No buts, or you'll go to bed without supper." With that, Mrs. Dryden banged the door shut and headed down the stairs from their sixth floor apartment. Danielle hated the city. She hated the crowds, the high prices, the people, the dirty streetrats, the awful odor stinking up the entire city, the wild animals, the violence... that day, there were very few things she didn't hate. The night before, Billy had come home drunk and in a bad mood. He'd struck Danielle at least once, the bruises on her arms told her. Gabriel might have also been hit, but he was too proud to tell. Jessie and Rose apparently didn't remember a thing; if they did, they would've told half the city. Life wasn't going as it had planned. Billy and Danielle had planned to get married right away, as soon as Billy found a job and got some money. But he could never seem to find a job. The three children had clothes too ragged to wear to school, so they stayed at home all day and bothered Danielle. She was miserable, sick of drunken men and bratty children.

The street was jam-packed with people. The usual merchants tried to sell their wares, a wagon was being filled by the young couple across the hall who was moving out, and before Danielle could do a thing, a dog bit the hem of her long coat and pulled hard.

"Knight!" a young girl screeched. "Knight! Bad dog! I shoulda left ya at da lodgin' 'owse! Oh, golly, I'se awful sahry, lady," the girl apologized. "He's so bad sometimes! I jist can't keep track a him while I'se sellin' me papes."

"It's all right," Danielle said.

The little girl looked up, and Danielle realized it was that adorable newsie that looked like Ann.

"Why, hello, again!" said Danielle cheerfully.

"Oh, it's you! Hiya, lady. Wanna buy a pape?"

"Certainly," Danielle agreed with a smile. This girl exuded pleasantness and cheerfulness. Danielle couldn't imagine why she was on the streets. What family wouldn't want a happy little girl like that?

Ruby suddenly began coughing violently and dropped all her papes to the street.

"My, are you all right? Here, come back to my apartment. I've got some tea brewing. It will warm you up in a second."

"No, dat's awright," Ann said just before she began coughing again.

"Nonsense. Come with me. Quickly, now," Danielle said, leading the way.

Still coughing, Ruby picked up her papes and followed Danielle.

"Now, sit down at the table. I'll pour you some tea."

"Do yous mind if Knight comes in? 'e won't be any trouble," promised Ann.

"Bring him right in!" offered Danielle.

Rose, Jessie, and Gabriel stood shyly beside the bed, staring at Ann. The two little girls had bouncy brown-red ringlets to their shoulders, tied back with ribbons. The boy had messy brown hair cut as short as Ann's.

"This is Rose, Jessie, and Gabriel. They're four, five, and seven. Children, this is..."

"Ruby," she said confidently. "An' dis heah 's Knight."

"A dog!" squealed Rose as she rushed over to hug the little dog. "Oh, Mama, can't we keep him?"

"It's crowded enough in here with you three and Billy without having a dog about. But you may play with the dog as long as Ruby stays," said Danielle as she quickly poured a cup of tea. "Here, Ruby. Drink this. And take your time."

"T'anks, Mrs... uh..."

"Dryden," supplied Danielle.

Ruby nodded as she sipped the hot tea. It was bitter and not very tasty, but Ruby was good at disguising her feelings and managed not to spit the tea out or make any faces. Besides, it was warm, and the last time she'd had anything warm to eat was the evening before. Ruby hadn't planned on stopping for lunch, and dinner was a while away. The clock on the wall said ten-fifteen.

"Are you sick, Ruby?" asked Mrs. Dryden.

"Naw. I ain't nevah been sick, an' I ain't nevah gonna git sick. But I t'ink I mighta picked up a li'l bitta a cough from me friend Snipes. 'e's back at da lodgin' 'owse cause 'e's gotta pretty nasty cough an' a fevah. But Kloppy says 'e's gonna be awright. 'E's a newsie, aftah all."

"You live at the Newsboys' Lodging House?" said Mrs. Dryden incredulously. She had heard of the things that went on inside those places. That was no place for a young girl.

"Yup. It's me 'ome. I love it dere. All a ahr boys stay dere, an' it's real fun."

"Isn't it odd, being the only girl with all those boys?"

"But I ain't da only goyl. Dere's Lucky. She's like me oldah sistah. An' all da guys 's like me bruddahs. Dey's real nice ta me. 'Specially Jack an' Snipes."

Mrs. Dryden simply nodded. What kind of name was Snipes? And Lucky? That was no name for a girl. That was a name for a dog. (Note: I don't think it's a name for a dog. Hey, I just realized this is a line straight out of "A Stroke of Luck." Sorry, Sharkbait! =) Anyway, Mrs. Dryden's just one of those prissy, Rose's-mom-in-"Titanic" type ladies who disapproves of everybody who isn't upper-class. Not that Mrs. Dryden is, but...) She wished she could adopt that little girl, but she knew there was no way Ruby would let her. Ruby was a stubborn, street-smart girl who seemed to love being a newsie and everything that came with it.

Ruby finished the tea. "Well, t'anks, Mrs. Dryden, but I gots ta be goin'. Dere's still lotsa papes ta be sold. T'anks fer da tea. I really 'preciate it. C'mon, Knight," said Ruby, standing up.

"Wait! Can I please have one of those... papes?"

Ruby grinned. "Sure." She handed her mother a pape, took the nickel Mrs. Dryden gave her, and headed out of the little apartment. Knight loyally followed.

I almost feel bad fer 'er, thought Ruby. All cramped up in dat li'l 'partment... an' dose t'ree, dey should be in school... wonder why dey ain't? I'se jist awful glad I don't got ta live dere. I'd 'ate it. I like da lodgin' 'owse. It's nice dere. I ain't nevah leavin' da lodgin' 'owse fer nobody... at least, not till I'se too old ta be a newsie. Nevah evah evah, she promised herself.

For the rest of the afternoon, Ruby wandered the streets, selling her papes and meeting up with the other newsies occasionally. The afternoon was crisp and cold, but sunny, by the time Ruby was heading to Tibby's. She was walking down the nearly-empty roads, humming to herself and thinking about Snipeshooter. Maybe I'll tell 'em when I git back ta da lodgin' 'owse... I'se gonna git 'im some food... ol' Kloppy's food 's awful, I heah.

Just then, someone ran by. Ruby turned to see who it was, when she saw Skittery jogging by. "C'mon, there's a fight in front a Tibby's!" he called.

Ruby took off running and reached Tibby's a second after Skittery. There was a big crowd, and Ruby jumped up and down in an attempt to see over the heads of the taller newsies. Skittery noticed and picked her up easily.

"Aww, t'anks, Skittery!" she said. "What's goin' on?"

"Cowboy's fightin' some guy," Bumlets announced.

"Aww, no kiddin'! Why's 'e fightin' 'im?"

"Da guy called 'im a-"

"Shh!" hissed Crutchy, cutting off Racetrack completely.

A round of cheering broke out as one of the boys fell to the ground. Jack comically bowed. "T'ank you, t'ank you!" he called.

Lucky rolled her eyes. "Whatta ham..." she sighed. "C'mon, Ruby. Let's go git us some dinnah, huh?"

Ruby nodded. "I'se stahvin'! I didn't git no lunch taday. I was too busy sellin' me papes ta stop!"

Lucky nodded. "Geemaneez, Jack! Jist 'bout killed da guy, didn'tcha?"

Ruby casually glanced to Jack's opponent, lying half-consiously on the ground. Her eyes widened involuntarily in shock, and she was suddenly incapable of moving. Blood dripped from her brother's nose and he coughed as he began to wake up...

---

"Jack, dat's Chaun... Jack... Jack..." hissed Lucky.

"What?" asked Jack absently. "Dat ain't Chaun."

"Yes it 's," said Lucky, her eyes glazed over.

"No it ain't!" Jack returned to joking around with his fellow newsies.

Jack's opponent coughed again, stood up, and brushed off his clothes, muttering comments.

Lucky screamed and lunged at the tall, lanky figure. "I tot I told ya nevah ta come neah me er da Manhattan newsies evah again! I told ya I'd kill ya, an' I will! Don't try ta stop me, ya scabbah! I'se gonna kill ya!" Lucky kicked and punched the boy over and over.

"Lucky!" cried Blink. He and Jack dashed into the fight and dragged Lucky back, each of them holding one of her arms.

"But dat's Chaun! I gotta kill 'im, Jack! Jack, 'e almost killed me! 'E dasoives ta die!" cried Lucky as Jack sat down on the curb and pulled Lucky down beside him.

"Dat ain't Chaun. I dunno who Chaun 's, but dat ain't him," said Ruby.

"Den who da he..ck 's dat?" asked Race, covering what he had been about to say.

Ruby motioned for the newsies to lean in closer. "Dat's me brudda," she whispered.

"What?" asked Jack as the newsies began chattering.

Ruby shrugged. "'E 's. Whaddo you want me ta do 'bout it? I ain't talkin' ta 'im, and I don't want 'im ta know who I am er dat I'se heah. Let's jist go get some dinnah, huh?"

Glancing back at the lanky boy who was lying on the ground again, the newsies headed into Tibby's and ordered dinner.

"You think he saw you, Ruby?" asked Specs.

"Naw. Even if 'e did, 'e wouldn't recognize me. 'E ain't dat smaht. 'E's jist like me faddah. Stupider dan... dan... stupider dan da stupidest poisson in da woild!" said Ruby, taking a bite of her roast beef.

"Well, what if 'e stahts hangin' 'round ahr territory?" asked Lucky. "Den how's Ruby s'posedta hide?"

"I told ya. 'E won't recognize me! 'E's real dumb." Ruby nodded for no apparent reason. "An' I jist won't sell 'im no papes. I won't go neah 'im. I wouldn't want ta sell 'im a pape. 'E's a scabbah."

"Well if 'e tries ta hoit ya, ya jist tell me, awright Ruby?" said Jack.

"Er me!" added Blink, Skittery, Snoddy, Swifty, Snitch, and Race.

"Aww, t'anks! Yous guys 's da best!" announced Ruby. She finished off her meal and ordered a hot dog to take back to Snipeshooter. She pulled her last pape out of her coat and wrapped the hot dog up. Then she stuck it in the enormous pocket of her coat, called goodbye to the newsies, and ran the whole way to The Lodging House.

"Hi Kloppy!" called Ruby as she raced in and up the stairs without stopping. "Snipes! Snipes, ya awake?"

There was a great deal of barking as Ruby ran up the stairs, and a tiny curly mess of black fur ran around her feet.

"Aww, hiya, Knight!" said Ruby, pausing for a moment to pat her precious dog. "Snipes? Snipes, ya up heah?"

Snipeshooter sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Ruby?"

Ruby bounded over. "Hiya, Snipes! How ya doin'? Feel any bettah?"

"Yeah, a lil bit." Snipeshooter rubbed the back of his neck and yawned. "What time 's it?"

"Aww, I dunno. I ain't gotta pocket watch er nuttin'. I'se guessin' 'round six er so. Whatcha been doin' all day?"

"Jist sleepin'. Sell all yer papes?"

"All but one," said Ruby cheerfully, pulling out the hot dog. "Gotcha sumpin' ta eat!"

"Aww, golly, t'anks Ruby! Yer da nicest poisson I'se evah met!" cried Snipeshooter, hugging her tightly and not letting go for a few long moments.

"'Ey Snipes... uhh... I was t'inking... uhh... well... we's friends, right?"

Snipeshooter nodded and took a bite of his hot dog, watching Ruby cautiously and never taking his eyes from hers for a second.

"Uhh... well... I was talkin' ta Lucky... an'... well... I like ya... like more dan a friend," Ruby said, blushing furiously.

"Really?" asked Snipeshooter, nearly choking on his dinner.

Ruby nodded, wishing she could shrink and slip through one of the cracks in the floor.

"Cause, uh... I t'ink I like ya like dat, too."

Ruby smiled. "Really? Ya ain't jokin' or nuttin' like dat?"

Snipeshooter shook his head vigorously. For a few moments, the room was silent.

"Awright, dey's a li'l too quiet. Whatcha say we go join 'em, huh?" suggested Blink in a whisper, turning to his friends. Making a point to stomp up the stairs and talk very loudly, the newsies headed upstairs.

"'Ey Snipes! How ya feelin'?" called Bumlets.

"Bettah!" replied Snipeshooter cheerfully, glad to get his confession off his chest.

"Ya didn't eat any of dat mush dat Kloppman makes, didja?" asked Skittery anxiously. "I sweah, dat stuff kept me sick!"

"Don't I know it," Specs joked.

"So dere's li'l miss Ruby! Why'd ya leave in da middle a dinnah?" asked Race.

"Wasn't da middle fer me, Race. I was done, so I left!"

"Ruby, done before the rest of us?" asked Dutchy, pretending to be shocked. "Now there's something we never expected! Is it possible that she can eat faster than us?"

"Aww, quit makin' up stories, Dutchy!" joked Snitch.

"I was! I was done faster'n any a yous!" said Ruby proudly. "I'se a real newsie now, huh?"

"Heart an' soul," added Blink.

---

Snipeshooter spent two more days recovering from his cough and fever, and then he joined Ruby and got back to earning a living. They had a wonderful time wandering the cold, snowy streets of New York. All the larger houses of the wealthier people, and even some of the apartment buildings and boarding houses were decorated with wreaths.

"Don't it almost make ya wish we was rich?" asked Ruby with a sigh, watching as a little dressed up girl looked in the window of a toy store and pointed out the doll she wanted and would surely get.

"Almost. But I like bein' a newsie. What's wrong, dontcha like it heah no more?" asked Snipeshooter, knots forming in his stomach.

"No! I like it lots heah. I ain't nevah gonna leave," Ruby said defiantly. "But... I dunno, I guess I'se jist a li'l bit jealous. Cause all 'em rich kids get new toys, an' new clothes, an' dey get stuff dat we ain't nevah gonna get."

"Yeah," said Snipeshooter sadly.

"But 'em rich kids ain't got a whole lodgin' 'owse full a deir real good friends, an' dey don't get da chance ta see da city like it really 's. Dey only get ta se da fancy part. An' dey don't get nuttin' ta wish fer, 'cept new toys an' stuff," said Ruby, sounding like someone much older. Then she changed the subject. "'Ey, we had a real good day. Wanna split some a dose roasted chesnuts? I heah dey's dee-lish-us. An' dey's wahm..."

"Awright. My treat, dough."

"Nah, dat's awright, I'll get 'em."

"No, I got da money."

"So do I!"

Snipeshooter rolled his eyes. "You get da chesnuts, and I'll getcha a sarsaparilla tanight at Tibby's, awright?"

Ruby paused, then nodded. "'Scuse me, mistah, kin I get a bag a dose chesnuts?"

"O' course ye can, missy! Use 'em to keep yer wee hands warm. There ye go. That'll be one penny, missy."

Ruby rummaged through her pocket but could only find a nickel. "Heah, keep da change."

"Oh, no, I couldn't, missy."

"Naw, dat's awright. I know it's tough woikin' dis time a year. Ev'rybody's at home, keepin' warm, and we's out heah tryin' ta sell da papes ta nobody. It's gonna get bettah, dough," said Ruby cheerfully. "Keep da change. T'anks fer da chesnuts. An' merry c'rismus!" She ran off with Snipeshooter to a nearby bench.

"Gimme onna dose chesnuts," said Snipeshooter eagerly, his mouth watering in anticipation of the warm snack he was about to devour.

Ruby opened the bag. "Mmm... Dey's real good, Snipes! Heah, take one b'fore I eat all a 'em!"

"Oh wow, dese's da best t'ing I'se had ta eat in a real long time!" said Snipeshooter.

When the two friends were done eating their midday snack, they headed off to wander the streets of New York for a bit longer. Ruby peered in the window of a store and saw that it was only four-thirty. Most of the newsies didn't eat dinner until five or five-thirty.

"'Ey, Snipes, wouldja look at dat? Dere must be twenty wreaths heah!" said Ruby as she tiptoeing towards the back of an alley.

"Dere's a flowah stoah right dere. Dey must be t'rowin' 'em away!"

"But dey's poifect! 'Ey... ya t'ink dey'd mind if we took 'em?"

"What 're we gonna do wit a buncha wreaths?"

"Well... da lodgin' 'owse could use a li'l culah fer da holidays..." pointed out Ruby.

Snipeshooter smiled. "Sure, let's take 'em. Not like dese hoity-toity flowah people 's gonna notice dat we took some a deir garbage. 'Sides, it's fer a good cause."

Ruby shrugged, grabbed a few, glanced around, and tore off to The Lodging House, with Snipeshooter close behind.

"'Eya, Mistah Kloppman! Look what we found!" said Ruby, panting from her run.

"Well well well, what have we here?"

"Wreaths!" announced Ruby.

"Where did you get those? Didn't steal them, did you?"

"Nah. Some flowah shop was t'rowin' 'em out. T'rowin' 'em out! Dey's poifect! Why d'ya t'ink dey was t'rowin' 'em out?"

"Well, I don't know, Ruby," said Mr. Kloppman slowly.

"Kin we hang 'em up, Mistah Kloppman?"

"Of course!"

With a smile, Ruby quickly hung one on the door, one on the stairs, and the rest scattered throughout the lodging house.

"Dey look real nice, huh?" asked Ruby.

"Sure do," said Mr. Kloppman, nodding slowly in agreement.

"'Ey, Ruby, c'mon, er we's gonna be late fer meetin' all da guys at Tibby's!" called Snipeshooter.

"Bye!" shouted Ruby as Snipeshooter grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door and down the street.

There was some tension between the two friends. Snipeshooter felt it. Ever since they had admitted their feelings, things had been... different. Suddenly, he stopped and turned to Ruby, who looked confused.

"'Ey Ruby... do ya really like me more'n a friend?"

She paused and nodded slowly.

Snipeshooter smiled as he leaned down to kiss her. They were completely oblivious to everything but each other for a few seconds. Snipeshooter had never felt happier, and suddenly felt much older than his twelve years. Ruby also felt very happy, obviously, and knew that this would change everything.

"'Ey, git outta da way! Lousy loveboids..." a man shouted at them.

Ruby giggled. "C'mon, we's gonna be real late an' Jack's gonna be mad."

"Awright," Snipeshooter agreed, taking Ruby's hand. She smiled as they headed through the snowy streets of New York City.

"'Ey everybody!" called Ruby cheerfully as they entered Tibby's. "Merry C'rismus!"

"C'rismus 's tamarrah!" called Race.

"I know dat! I ain't stupid. But it's C'rismus Eve, so I'se sayin' merry c'rismus!" said Ruby defiantly. She slid into a chair and ordered her meal. "Remembah, ya owe me a sarsaparilla," she said to Snipeshooter.

"I didn't fergit," he replied. "Um... a hot dog an' two sarsaparillas."

"Two?" asked the waiter.

"Yeah. One fer me an' one fer me friend heah," said Snipeshooter confidently, putting an arm around Ruby.

"Friend... yeah, sure, and you're Teddy Roosevelt," muttered the waiter as he walked off.

Ruby glanced sideways at Snipeshooter and burst out giggling. All the older newsies glanced at each other, and Race triumphantly looked at Snitch, knowing that some money was coming his way. Boots and Les looked at each other. What was wrong with their friend?

---

Lodging that night was free, courtesy of Mr. Kloppman. All the newsies cheered, and Racetrack somehow found a bottle of moonshine and popped the cork off, sending it flying.

"Owwwww!" shouted Boots, picking the cork up off the floor, grabbing his slingshot, and firing it at Boots.

Race looked ready to fight, but Blink and Mush grabbed his arms and he calmed down soon enough.

"Don't drink dat stuff," Mush told the younger newsies. "It's awful! Honest!"

"I ain't tryin' it," said Ruby, glancing at the older newsies, who were crowded around each other, drinking the alcohol straight from the bottle. Skittery took the bottle and proceeded to finish it off, while the newsies stood around laughing and cheering her on.

"Yous guys 's sick!" shouted Lucky unexpectedly. "Doncha know what's gonna happen? Yer gonna turn out like me fadda! A sick bummah, who beats up 'is kids! Dis 's why so many a yous guys 's heah, y'know. Cause yer fadda was drunk an' 'e beat up yer mudda. Cause 'e beat some a yous guys up. Don't t'ink I dunno 'bout it. I'se seen some a da youngah an' da newah newsies comin' in heah more beat up den I'se evah seen. An' den ya go and drink! Yer all sick." Lucky left the entrance of the lodging house and pounded up the stairs.

The newsies glanced at each other. "Guess I bettah go talk ta 'er," said Jack quietly, hurrying up the stairs. The rest of the newsies followed. Race was apologizing to Mr. Kloppman as Ruby slipped up the stairs. The window was opened, so she assumed Ruby and Jack were out on the fire escape or the roof.

"Look, Lucky, like I'se said a million times. I'se sahry-"

"I know yer sahry! But ya don't know what it's like, Jack. I mean, yer fadda didn't beat ya up fer no reason. Ya jist don't know what it's like."

Jack came climbing through the window. "I dunno what's wit 'er," he said to himself as he ran down the stairs.

Ruby glanced around. No one was watching her. Snipeshooter was talking to Specs and Bumlets. Racetrack was organizing a game of cards. It was just like any other night. Except Lucky wasn't in the middle of it, playing cards, and laughing.

Ruby checked one last time to make sure no one was watching her, slipped the window open, climbed out, and quietly closed it again. Lucky was sitting halfway up the stairs to the roof, with her back against the building. She was hugging her knees and quietly staring out at the skyline.

"'Ey Lucky. Merry c'rismus," said Ruby quietly.

Lucky jumped. "Geemaneez, Ruby! Scare me ta death, why doncha?" she said sarcastically.

"Aww, sahry, Lucky. If ya don't want me ta be out heah, I'll go back in." Ruby was starting to pull the window open when Lucky grabbed her sleeve.

"Nah, I don't wanna be 'lone out heah." Lucky paused and exhaled, her breath forming a frosty white cloud in the air as Ruby sat down several steps below Lucky. "I'se sahry 'bout yellin' at all a yous guys downstahs. I'se jist... I dunno, seein' yer brudda, it made me t'ink a Chaun, an' fer some reason, dat made me t'ink a me fadda, so I ain't been in a real good mood. An' den when all da guys was drinkin' downstahs... it jist made me crack, y'know?"

"Yeah. It's awright. Me fadda, 'e drank a lot, too. 'E was always drunk. But 'e nevah beat me er me mudda er me bruddas er me sistahs up, er nuttin. 'E was always at da saloon. 'E pretty much left us alone. Like 'e was jist some strangah, dat showed up ev'ry once 'n a while."

"Was 'e yer real fadda?" asked Lucky.

Ruby nodded. "What, yer fadda wasn't yer fadda?"

"Nah, 'e was me stepfadda." Lucky unbuttoned the top button of her coat and fumbled with something before pulling out a chain with a small gold ring on it. "Dis was from me real fadda. 'E gave it ta me on me tenth birfday, an' when I left, I took it so I could always remembah 'im."

"Dat's nice, dat ya got sumpin ta remembah 'im by. I ain't got nuttin. Den again, I don't 'ticularly wanna remembah me fadda, so... Wait, yes I do. I got dis..." Ruby dug around inside her pockets until she produced a small gold chain with a gold cross dangling from it. "Me fadda won some money, gamblin' er sumpin like dat, an' 'e got me dis." Ruby looked at it, then slipped it around her neck.

"Kinda unusual, ain't it?"

"What?" asked Ruby, looking up at the older girl.

"We's a lot alike, y'know dat, Ruby?"

"What, jist cause ahr faddas were drunks, we's a lot alike? I'll bet half a da guys in dere had faddas who were drunks, jist like ya said," said Ruby, nodding towards the window.

"Well, we's da only goyl newsies in Manhattan, so we gotta stick tugethah, right?"

Ruby nodded.

"An' we's both in love wit onna ahr boys, right?"

Ruby nodded again, smiling and blushing slightly.

"So does 'e know?"

Ruby paused, then nodded. She didn't feel like it was right to give Lucky all the details so soon after it had happened.

"'E likes ya, don't 'e?" asked Lucky, grinning wickedly.

The window rattled open, and Snipeshooter peered out.

"'Eya, Snipes!" both girls said cheerfully.

"'Ey goyls!" he replied, shutting the window behind him. "Lucky, 're you awright?"

Lucky nodded. "Yeah, I'se awready feelin' a bit bettah. T'anks ta yer goyl heah."

Suddenly, a bright splash of color exploded in the sky, and a deafening boom was heard throughout the city.

"Somebody's shootin' off fiahwoiks," noted Snipeshooter.

"Gee, t'anks, Mush," joked Lucky.

There was a lot of noise as all the newsies ran to the window and pushed each other as they climbed out. Jack was the last out, and he slowly walked past Snipeshooter and Ruby.

Lucky merely looked up at him, then shifted her glance to the brilliant sky and hugged her knees tighter.

"Look, Cassie-"

Lucky looked up at him again. Jack only used her given name when he was serious.

"Cassie, I know ya've been t'rough a lot, an' it ain't easy fer ya, but ya gotta know dat if ya evah need ta talk, ya can talk ta me. I'd ratha have ya wake me up at t'ree in da morning cause ya need ta talk, dan have ya go off at ev'rybody like ya did downstahs. But dat's undahstandable."

"I jist don't wanna be any trouble ta anybody," she said quietly.

"Ya've already been plently a trouble, ya can't be any more trouble!" Jack laughed. When he saw that Cassie wasn't laughing, he sat down on the step below her and took both her hands in his. "Cassie, I'se gonna love ya forevah 'n' evah! I sweah! I ain't nevah felt dis way 'bout any goyls, evah."

There was a pause. "Ya don't have ta git all mushy on me, Cowboy," she said, sniffling. "C'mere."

Both the newsies fell silent.

Ruby felt someone grab her hand, and nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned and saw Snipeshooter sitting on the windowsill, looking at Ruby as if she had just lost her mind. Ruby sighed and squeezed Snipeshooter's hand.

Finally, after about fifteen minutes, the fireworks ended, and the shivering newsies made their way down from the roof.

"'Ey, Snipes, ya an' yer goyl bettah move, cause we's freezin'!" warned Itey, who was half-joking.

"Eh, we's going, we's going, ya scab," said Snipeshooter. "C'mon, Ruby."

Itey looked back at Snitch and grinned. Snitch muttered something about betting and Racetrack, with a few obscene words thrown in.

"'Ey, it's Denton!" shouted Snipeshooter as he climbed in the window.

All the newsies immediately began shoving each other as they climbed in the window. Ruby, being the smallest newsie, quickly got pushed aside.

"Oof!" she cried.

"Ruby! Ya awright?" asked Snipeshooter, going over to her.

Ruby nodded. "I'se fine." She grabbed Snipeshooter's hand and pulled herself up. Snipeshooter carelessly rested an elbow against one of her shoulders.

"Ruby, dis is ahr friend, Mistah Denton, an' Denton, dis is ahr newest newsie, Ruby Dryden. An' ya ain't nevah met Lucky. Dis is Lucky Jaspah."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Dryden, Miss Jasper," replied Denton. "I've heard a lot about you."

"From who?" asked Lucky suspiciously, raising one eyebrow.

"Dave and Les," replied Denton.

Lucky nodded. The newsies began to scatter and as Blink walked by, he casually snatched the cap off Lucky's head.

"'Ey! Ya bummah! Ya bettah give dat back, er I'll soak ya!" Lucky tore off, chasing Blink all around the bunkroom, through the washroom, and back again. As Lucky was passing a bunk, she grabbed a pillow and hurled it at Blink. Blink laughed, picked it up, and began beating her with it. Soon, the whole room was involved in an all-out pillow fight.

With one exception.

"So, I heard that you've already got yourself a new girl," Denton said casually.

"'Ey, Sarah's been gone fer almost a yeah! An' two months was a long time ta be widout anybody," said Jack defensively.

"Hey, calm down. She seems nice enough. Seems to have a big mouth, though."

Jack tuned Denton out, thinking of nothing but Lucky's mouth- and not in the way that Denton had meant it at all. (Note: Not in THAT way either, ya pervs! This is rated PG! Get outta the gutter! This is a PRIVATE gutter, thankyouverymuch! =) )

"And Snipeshooter too, well well well, aren't you all growing up so fast," teased Denton.

"Aww, shuddup! Ya sound like Medda- 'Keeelly, you're growing up so fast. Why, it was only yesterday that you were a little boy,'" mocked Jack, sounding exactly like Medda, much to the amusement of the newsies.

"Jack, help me git me hat back! Why 's yous guys always takin' me hat? BLINK! Givvit baaaaaaack!" whined Lucky.

"Uh-oh, she's whinin'. Bettah give it back," warned Jack, a smile creeping onto his face.

Lucky smacked him lightly as Blink tossed the cap towards her. "T'anks," she replied, tucking her dishwater blonde hair up into it.

"Well, I'd better get going," said Denton. "Merry Christmas."

All the boys shouted their goodbyes, and as Lucky, Jack, and Blink were walking over to say goodbye, the ever-observant Blink asked, "What's that?" He pointed to something small and green hanging in the doorway.

"Mistletoe," said Specs, glancing away from his card game. Snipeshooter tried to hide a grin as he glanced at Ruby, who buried her face in a pillow so no one would hear her giggles. Jack had a goofy grin on his face, as if he was saying, "Why not?" to Lucky.

With a grin, Blink put one hand on Lucky's shoulder, his other hand on Jack's shoulder, and pushed them together. All the newsies whooped and cheered as their leader and his girl kissed under the mistletoe, looking as if they never wanted to let go.

How's 'e do it? thought Snipeshooter. Jist goes right ahead an' kisses his goyl right in front a Denton an' all da newsies... I mean, I like Ruby an' all, but ta kiss 'er in fronta all dose people... Geemaneez, ain't he outta breath yet?

Meanwhile, similar thoughts were running through Ruby's head. If I were Lucky, me face'd match me 'air by now. How kin she kiss 'im, in fronta all dese people? I like Snipes an' all, but dat'd jist be weird. 'Sides, dey'd all t'ink I'se mad, er sumpin. An' nobody knows dat I like 'im, 'cept Lucky. Itey was jist teasin'. 'E's been callin' me Snipes' goyl since- geemaneez, I'se been heah a week awready? Seems like a yeah!

Finally, Lucky and Jack pulled apart. "Well, I dunno 'bout yous fellahs, but I'se awful tiahed. G'night." Lucky went over to her bunk above Blink and began undressing for the night.

"Me, too. G'night," said a few other newsies, Ruby among them.

"G'night," whispered Snipes as he walked past Ruby's bunk on the way to his own bunk. Ruby grinned. Whatta great c'rismus, she thought as she drifted off into dreams.

The next morning, the papes were closed down for the day. Most of the newsies, who had stayed up well into the morning playing cards, slept in. The few that were awake unsuccessfully tried to stay quiet while they dressed, washed up, and started games of cards. Jack and Lucky went over to David and Les's house for Christmas Dinner. Blink and Mush went to the races with Racetrack. A few of the older newsies were visiting their girls, and Mr. Kloppman had a visitor.

"Awright! Read 'em an' weep, boys," cried Ruby triumphantly, displaying her cards.

"Dis deck 's rigged!" announced Skittery, throwing down his cards in disgust.

With a grin, Ruby swept the coins up. "I guess ya don't wanna play 'nothah game a gin, Skittery?" she joked.

Skittery glared at her. "I gotta git outta heah fer a while," he said as he got up and left the room.

Snipeshooter and Ruby glanced at each other. He handed her a cigar, and she took a quick drag off it before handing it back.

Pie Eater, Snoddy, Itey, and Snitch also got up and scattered. Snipeshooter got up and glanced out the window.

"Ya wanna go fer a walk in Central Pahk?" he asked nervously.

Ruby nodded, grabbed her coat and cap, and followed Snipeshooter downstairs. "'Ey... let's try ta see who ol' Kloppy's been talkin' ta fer so long."

"Yeah, dey've been in dere all day," Snipeshooter whispered back.

The door was opened a crack. Ruby peered in sideways, and Snipeshooter peered over her head. They could clearly see Mr. Kloppman standing up, but they had a better view of the lamp and wall than anything. But they could hear a woman laughing with Mr. Kloppman.

"Oh, John, it's so wonderful to see you after all these years!" she laughed.

The woman went on to say what she had been doing since she had last seen Mr. Kloppman. The conversation was boring to the two newsies. Didn't the woman have anything interesting to say? She had to be someone important. Maybe her an' ol' Kloppy was engaged, an' den she left. Er maybe he left. Er maybe dey was married, and den sumpin' happened, thought Ruby, who had an overactive imagination at times and who, in the last day, had developed a liking to romantic stories.

Snipeshooter was growing bored, and felt an itch near his ankle. He couldn't bend over to reach it, so he tried scratching it with his other foot.

Suddenly, Snipeshooter lost his balance. He tried to grab Ruby in an attempt to keep him on his feet, but unfortunately it didn't work. They both fell to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs.

Mr. Kloppman heard the noise outside his living quarters and hurried to the door to see what those boys (and girls) had done now.

"C'mon!" yelled Snipeshooter. Ruby grabbed her cap and was pulled out the door.

"You kids! You'll be the death of me!" shouted Mr. Kloppman after them.

Ruby laughed. "So, which way is Central Pahk?"

"Dis way," answered Snipeshooter, steering her towards the park.

The two sweethearts took a long walk through Central Park, chatting the entire time. They both had plenty to say, and found themselves interrupting each other on a frequent basis.

They were just about to turn around and head to Tibby's for a late lunch/early dinner, when Ruby spotted four people that she knew.

"Hi! Merry C'rismus!" called Ruby.

Danielle Dryden looked up. "Hello, Ruby! Merry Christmas to you, too!"

"Dis is me, uh, best friend, Snipeshootah. Snipeshootah, dis is Mrs. Dryden. An' dese 're her kids, Rose, Gabriel, an' Jessie," said Ruby politely.

"Nice to meet you," said Mrs. Dryden, smiling at the little girl. She glanced at the young man with her. He was short, just a bit taller than Ruby, with a gray cap perched lopsidedly on his brown curly hair. She noted that he was holding Ruby's hand awfully tightly.

"Well, we's just on ahr way ta Tibby's ta get sumpin ta eat. Nice seein' ya," said Ruby.

"Would you two like to come back to my house for dinner?" blurted out Danielle.

Ruby turned. Danielle had a hopeful smile on her face. Ruby glanced to Snipeshooter, who shrugged. "Awright," replied Ruby.

"Wonderful! Come, let's get home, or the turkey I put in the oven will surely be burned." Danielle quickened her pace and led the way. The two little girls skipped behind her, hand in hand. Next were Ruby and Snipeshooter, hand in hand, and Gabriel tagged along with them.

"Dis 's great, ain't it, Snipes? We's gettin' a free dinnah! An' some real good food," said Ruby eagerly.

"Yeah," he replied. "Dis 's toinin' out ta be an awful good c'rismus, ain't it?"

"Yup!" giggled Ruby.

Danielle Dryden led the way up the narrow staircase to her apartment and unlocked the door. The aroma of good food, something Snipeshooter hadn't had for years and years, filled the small apartment and spilled out into the dirty hall.

"Here, sit down. Dinner will be ready in a moment," said Danielle as she filled the plates with turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and buttered bread.

"Gee, t'anks, Mrs. Dryden," said Snipeshooter. "Dis 's awful nice a ya. I mean, I don't even know ya."

"You're quite welcome, Snipeshooter. I feel bad for all the newsies. You should all be in school, but you can't afford it. So many people look down on child laborers."

Ruby and Snipeshooter barely said a word through the meal, for they were so busy eating. They looked as if they hadn't had a good meal in months, and in the back of her mind, Danielle figured that perhaps they hadn't.

Half an hour later, as the two newsies were finishing up their pie, the door banged open and in stumbled a tall, fairly good-looking man with a large, nearly-empty bottle of beer in each hand.

"Billy! How nice of you to come home. This is Ruby, and-"

"Shut up, ya vixen!" shouted Billy, striking Danielle across the face with one of the bottles. She crumpled and fell to the floor. "Where did these two come from? The milkman?" sneered Billy.

"Billy, dat's Ruby, an' dat's Snipeshootah," piped Gabriel. "Dey's newsies. An' Mama asked dem ta have dinnah wit us."

"Oh, is that so?" asked Billy, grabbing Ruby's face between his thumb and forefinger. "Ya look like Danielle's older daughter."

Ruby stared Billy in the face, not wanting to say anything. As Billy was opening his mouth to speak again, there was a tremendous bang!

Ruby gasped. Snipeshooter was holding a pan in one hand, and he had hit Billy over the head with it. "C'mon, let's git outta heah!" he said urgently, grabbing Ruby's hand and pulling her out of the apartment. He pulled her all the way back to the Lodging House and up the stairs.

"'Re ya awright?" asked Snipeshooter nervously.

"Yeah. 'E just scahed me so much! I tot he was gonna kill me, Snipes! An' den I tot he was gonna kill you," she said in a small voice, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

Snipeshooter wiped it away, then hugged her tightly. "It's awright now. 'E can't getcha heah. We won't let 'im."

Ruby pulled away slightly so she could look him in the eye. "Ya promise?"

Snipeshooter nodded. "Cross me 'art," he said.

Realization suddenly struck Ruby, and she giggled.

"What?" asked Snipeshooter.

Ruby simply glanced upwards at the bunch of greenery hanging in the doorway. A sly smile crept onto Snipeshooter's face as he pulled Ruby closer and kissed her square on the lips. For a few minutes, Snipeshooter and Ruby could feel nothing but the other's lips and their entwined hands.

"Aww, ain't dat da cutest t'ing in da woild," snickered someone.

Ruby unhappily pried herself away from Snipeshooter and glanced down the stairs. "Well if it ain't da t'ree muskateahs," she said. Racetrack, Kid Blink, and Mush were standing a few stairs down, laughing and cracking jokes about Snipeshooter and Ruby.

"Don't mind us. We ain't heah," said Racetrack. "Jist go back ta what yous was doin'." The other two laughed and playfully slapped at each other.

"No t'anks. Not wit yous cheeseheads watchin'. Yous guys wanna play cahds?" asked Snipeshooter.

"Shoah!" the other four newsies agreed, and Racetrack went running off to get his prized deck of cards. Snipeshooter retrieved the last two cigars from the box he'd purchased the week before, and the newsies assembled in a cluster on the floor.

And so Christmas in the Newsboys Lodging House ended...

---

The next morning, the newsies were all reluctant to get up and sell the papes, but they did, just as always. The usual promises to meet for lunch were made, and the newsies scattered, in small groups, pairs, or alone.

Jack Kelly was one of those who was alone. He had been the last in line, and had only bought half his usual hundred papes. He quickly sold the fifty papes he had, and then headed off for a small house at the edge of town. The crowds weren't so thick there, and an ghostly silence surrounded the area.

Jack went up to the door, hoping this was the right place. The door opened, and there stood a small, dark-skinned girl with long black hair and glittering blue eyes.

"Can I help you?" she asked, even though she knew better than he did what he wanted.

"Yeah. Um, ya helped me goyl, Lucky, when she had blood poisonin'..."

"Yes, I remember her."

"Well, I know dat ya can tell da fuchah, and I was wonderin' if ya could help me out."

"Certainly. Come in." Raven led him to a small, round table. They sat opposite each other.

"Well, uh... I was wonderin'... what me fuchah's gonna be like."

"Anything in particular?"

"Yeah. Me an' Lucky... I wanna know if we's gonna stay tugethah, er if she's gonna wanna leave, er sumpin. I love 'er so much, an' I know dat she loves me, but I wanna know jist how serious she is. Y'know?"

"Why don't you ask her?" asked Raven quietly, thinking that a talk with "Lucky" could help the young man more than she could. "Talking with her could help."

"Yeah, but I... I dunno. Guess I'm noivus. I don't wan' 'er ta t'ink I don't trust 'er, er nuttin.'"

"She won't think that. I can guarantee it," said Raven.

Jack nodded slowly. "Awright. An' Raven?"

"Yes?" she said, looking up.

"T'anks," he said, grinning, as he bounded out the door.

Raven nodded slowly. Another day in the life of a gypsy, she thought.

---

Meanwhile, Snipeshooter and Ruby had just finished their lunch at Tibby's, and were heading out to the street near Danielle Dryden's tenement. They usually sold a lot of papes there, and the people there usually gave nickels out freely without expecting change.

"Extra! Extra! President leaves office! Country left unattended! No one heah ta pratect us! Extra! Extra!" shouted Ruby. "T'anks! Gooday ta ya, mistah!"

"Hello, Ruby," said a woman quietly.

Ruby spun on her heel. "Heya, Mrs. Dryden! Ya okay? Yer husband seems like he hit ya awful hahd," she said with concern. Her mother was nicer now that she didn't know that Ruby was Ruby, and Ruby was concerned.

"Ya, 're ya okay? 'E was scahrin' da bof a us," said Snipeshooter, leaning an elbow on Ruby's shoulder, as he often did.

"Oh, I'm fine," replied Danielle, fingering the big kaleidoscopic bruise on her left eye. Her eye was swollen shut.

"Ya sure? Dat bruise looks like hoits a lot," said Snipeshooter. "An' I know, cause I'se been beat up by scabs more dan a couple times."

"Yes, it will heal in a few days, I'm sure of it."

Someone tapped Snipeshooter on the shoulder for a pape, and he attended to his business. While he was turned, Mrs. Dryden handed something small and soft to Ruby, paid her for a pape, and left, smiling over her shoulder at Ruby.

Ruby looked into her hand. There were a small, wooly pair of blue mittens. Ruby squealed out of pure joy. She put them on immediately and put the cord around her neck so she'd never lose them (as she'd managed to do with every other pair she'd ever had.)

"Ya ready ta go?" asked Snipeshooter, coming up behind her and speaking directly into her ear.

Ruby jumped and dropped her papes. "Geemaneez, Snipes! Ya scahed me outta me mind! Don't do dat!"

"Sahry!" he replied, taking her hand. "'Ey, wheah'd ya git dese?"

"Me mudda. Ain't she nice?" asked Ruby happily.

"Yeah." Snipeshooter paused. "Why doncha go live wit 'er?"

"Cause I don't want dat scab ta beat me up all da time. An' I don't wanna live wit dose bratty kids. An' cause if she found out who I am, den she'd go back ta bein' mean ta me. An' cause I don't wanna leave da newsies. An' I 'specially don't wanna leave ya," Ruby said softly, looking up at Snipeshooter.

He looked back and grinned. The two best friends walked on in silence.

---

"'Ey Jack, ya ready ta go?" asked Blink. All the newsies had finished their meals and were leaving Tibby's.

"Nah. I wanna talk ta Lucky alone, witout all yous cheeseheads listenin' ta every woid I say," said Jack.

Blink grinned and nodded as he ran to catch up with Mush and Racetrack.

"So, ya wanna talk ta me?" asked Lucky casually. Inside, she was very nervous. Jack wanted to talk to her privately? Usually there was nothing that he kept from the newsies. Sure, they all listened in on their conversations, but it was never anything private. Lucky's head sped up by the second, until she thought she would explode.

"Yeah. Um... Lucky... how d'ya feel 'bout me, honestly?"

Lucky blinked, taken by surprise. "I love ya, Jack. Ya know dat." Dis can't be good, she thought.

"Well, I was t'inkin'... I can't go on bein' a newsie ferevah."

"What, yer leavin'?" asked Lucky quietly, even though she felt like screaming.

"No! No! Nuttin' like dat. I jist... Doncha evah wanna settle down, get married, stuff like dat?"

"I dunno. Nevah really t'ought 'bout it."

"Well, I was t'inkin' dat if I got a bettah job dat got me more money... den maybe someday we could settle down... tugethah... get married..." Jack stopped fiddling with his napkin and looked up at Lucky.

"Jack Kelly, yer right. I'se way too goylish. Lookit dis, ya made me cry twice in two days!" Lucky sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"'S dat a yes?" asked Jack.

Lucky nodded, a tremendous grin on her face. "Ya wanna go fer a walk?"

Jack agreed and they were out of Tibby's like a flash. They walked around Central Park well into the night, talking about their dreams for the future. Jack planned to sell less papes and spend his afternoons looking for a job.

"Dis 's da best day a me life, honest," said Lucky. "I sweah, I ain't nevah been happiah."

"Me neddah." Jack pulled Lucky into his arms and softly kissed her.

---

Lucky and Jack stumbled in around midnight, and most of the newsies were asleep by then. Lucky undressed and went to bed, as did Jack. While the latter fell asleep quickly, as he did when he was particularly content, the former stayed awake, staring at the ceiling.

"Wheah was yous two all night?" whispered a voice.

Lucky sat up to see a certain short, scrawny, redheaded newsie peering over the foot of Lucky's bunk, looking quite curious.

"C'meah," whispered Lucky, pulling Ruby onto her bunk. "Me an' Jack was out walkin' in Central Pahk."

"Walkin'? Ya shoah dat's all yous was doin'?" snickered Ruby.

"Look who's tawkin'!" joked Lucky, playfully batting at Ruby. Ruby hit her back and they giggled. "Shh!" warned Lucky. "Okay, so we was doin' more dan just tawkin'. An' ya know what? 'E said dat 'e's gonna try ta get a bettah job dat gets more money, an' whenevah I'se oldah, an' 'e's got some money, we's gonna get married!"

"Really?" asked Ruby, feeling very much like a girl for the first time in quite a while.

"Yeah! Ain't dat great?" asked Lucky. "So how're ya an' Snipes doin'? I hoid from Blink dat da two a yous has been doin' more dan tawkin', too."

Ruby blushed, but the darkness hid it. "Yeah, 'e's real nice! I like 'im a lot, an' I t'ink dat he likes me, too!"

"Yeah, I t'ink 'e does. Well, I'se real tiahed. G'night, Ruby. See ya in da mornin'."

---

The month of January was going by quickly for the newsies. They sold their papes, had their fun, and were getting along fairly well. Both the couples were doing well, and Jack had a new job at Irving Hall, cleaning up and selling tickets. Between that and selling his papes, he was making quite a bit of money and knew that he could easily save enough for he and Lucky to buy a small place and settle down by the time they wanted to.

Ruby and Snipeshooter often spent time with Mrs. Dryden and her children. They occasionaly dined there, whenever Billy wasn't around (and he often wasn't) and the children especially enjoyed their company.

"Ruby! Ruby, look at the dolly dress that Mama made me!"

"Ruby, lookit da slingshot dat da nice people 'cross da hall gave me! Dey say I'se a good boy!"

"Ruby, can you fix my hair ribbon?"

Gabriel especially liked when the two newsies visited. He longed to be a newsie. Even though he was only seven, he knew that money was running low, and that Billy wasn't making any more. He had seen newsies about his age, and he knew that he could sell the papes just as well as they could. But he didn't have the heart to ask his mother. She denied the fact that money was low. Gabriel only hoped that one day he could muster up the courage to ask.

---

One particularly frosty evening, Ruby was in the middle of a card game when Mr. Kloppman came upstairs. Specs pulled out his pocketwatch. It was only eight o'clock, so the neighbors couldn't be complaning yet.

"Ruby! There's some people downstairs to see you," he said, turning around and leaving as quickly as he'd come.

Ruby set her cards down face-down, thought better of it, and shoved them in her pocket. She hopped up and ran to the stairs, with Snipeshooter close behind.

Huddled nervously inside the doorway were two small, crying girls and a small, frightened-looking boy.

"Gabriel? What're yous doin' heah?" cried Ruby, coming over to her sisters and brother.

"Billy beat up Ma, an' she's in da hospital. Da people 'cross da hall took 'er dere. But da hospital wouldn't let us in, an' we got nowheah else ta go, so... we came heah."

"'S she awright?" asked Ruby.

"I dunno! Dey wouldn't let us in."

"Awright, den, I guess yous guys'll just have ta stay heah tonight. Mistah Kloppman, heah's fifteen cents. Dis 's Gabriel, an' Rose, an' Jessie Dryden, an' dey're gonna stay heah tanight."

"Is there three empty bunks?" he asked slowly.

"Dey're all full. Well, I'll jist sleep on da floah, an' dey can have me bunk."

"I'll sleep on da floah, too," offered Snipeshooter. "One bunk ain't enough fer t'ree kids."

"T'anks! Dat's awful nice a ya," said Ruby sincerely. "C'mon, yous t'ree." She ushered them up the stairs and showed Jessie and Rose to her bunk. "'Re yous t'ree awright?"

"Billy hit me," whimpered Rose.

"Me too," added Jessie. She rolled up the sleeve of her dress to reveal a nasty-looking cut and bruise on her upper arm. Rose had abundant small cuts scattered up her legs and arms.

"'Ey, onna yous guys go get Mistah Kloppman's medicine an' stuff," instructed Ruby. "An' some watah, an' a washcloth, please."

Crutchy and Boots returned with the requested items, and Ruby quickly washed out their cuts and applied bandages. Snipeshooter sat on Crutchy's bunk and told the girls a wild story about some guy he'd soaked, exaggerating so much that the two little girls were giggling hysterically by the time he was done.

"Now yous two go ta sleep, ya heah me?" asked Ruby, pretending to be serious. They giggled, Ruby tickled them, and they finished undressing for bed. The two little girls climbed into the bed and quickly fell asleep.

"Now whatta 'bout yous, Mistah Allmighty Gabriel Dryden?" asked Ruby. "Did dat scab hoit ya?"

"Not much," he replied, trying to be brave.

"Out wit it. I can tell dat yer lyin'."

"How?" he asked curiously.

"Cause ya ain't lookin' me in da eye. An' cause I can tell dat undah dat shoit, yer ahm's bleedin'."

Gabriel's smile faded. "Yeah, an' it hoits like nuttin I'se evah felt b'fore."

"Lemme see."

Gabriel pulled off his shirt and rolled up the sleeve of his undershirt. His arm was red, and looked very sore. Raw skin showed, and dried blood was all over his arm.

"Ooh, dat's gotta hoit," noted Snipeshooter.

Ruby wet the washcloth. "Dis 's gonna boin, A LOT, but youse gonna be brave an' ya ain't gonna cry, right?"

"Yeah! Boys nevah cry," he replied.

"Datta boy. Hold still." Ruby bit her lip as she gingerly wiped away the caked blood. Then she smeared medicine all over the area and put a tight bandage on.

"How d'ya know all dis stuff?"

"Aww, when I was liddle, I was always gettin' hoit. I was always fallin' outta trees, er fallin' in da street, er gettin' in fights wit guys at school, an' I jist picked it up, cause me mudda was always fixin' me up. An' den I stahted takin' care a me lil sistahs an' me lil bruddah, cause dey was always gettin' hoit, too."

"Me sistah usedta take care a us," Gabriel said, nodding towards his sleeping sisters.

"Yeah, yer mudda told me 'bout 'er." Ruby paused. "Ya miss 'er?"

"A lil. She was nevah very nice ta me. She was always off, bein' by 'erself. But sometimes she was nice ta me."

Ruby finished her work on his arm. "'S dat all? Dere ain't any bruises er cuts anywheah else?"

Gabriel shook his head.

"Awright, den. Go ta sleep."

"I ain't tiahed!"

"Ya need yer rest."

"But I wanna play cahds, an' smoke cigahs, an' all da uddah stuff dat yous guys do."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Gabriel, if yer mudda found out dat I let ya stay up all night, an' smoke cigahs, den she'd kill me!"

"I ain't gonna tell 'er. I ain't stupid, ya know," he protested.

"Ya ain't smokin', an' dat's dat," said Ruby. "But I guess Race heah could teach ya how ta play cahds."

Gabriel looked hopefully to the Italian boy. "I guess," agreed Race. Gabriel grinned and scampered over to let Racetrack teach him how to play poker.

---

The newsies finally went to sleep around one o'clock in the morning. Snipeshooter wasn't very tired, so he went over to talk to Ruby. They sat on her makeshift "bed" and talked quietly.

"Dat was real nice a ya. Ta take care a dem, I mean."

"Yeah, well, I couldn't jist let 'em bleed an' stuff."

"Yer real good at it."

"T'anks."

"'S dat true? Dat ya jist picked it up?"

Ruby nodded. "Maybe I could be a nurse someday. I mean, I ain't too bad at it."

"Yer real good at it," corrected Snipeshooter. "'Re ya evah gonna tell yer mudda? I mean, not go an' live wit her. Just... tell 'er. Stay heah, but..."

"Y'know, dat's a good idea, Snipes. Maybe someday I'll tell 'er. But... I dunno, I jist don't wanna tell 'er yet! Maybe when I'se oldah... er sumpin."

"Dat's a good idea. An' if she gits mad atcha, den... I dunno, we can leave fer a while. Jist till she stops bein' mad atcha."

"T'anks, Snipes. I nevah had friends like ya back wheah I usedta live. An' I really 'preciate ever'body bein' so nice ta me. If ya evah need sumpin, jist let me know, 'kay?"

He nodded. "I'se kinda tiahed. G'night." He leaned over and kissed her, then quietly crept to his bed across the room. Ruby felt the icy gold chain shift around her neck and suddenly remembered that she hadn't prayed since she arrived at the lodging house. Most of the newsies didn't believe in religion, so Ruby had no reminder of her beliefs. She knelt at the foot of her bed.

"Ruby, what're ya doin'?" hissed Snipeshooter.

"Prayin'," she replied.

"Oh. I didn't know dat ya believed in dat," he said. "G'night."

Ruby prayed silently, for she didn't want to wake her two little sisters. Deah God, please make Ma get well real soon, and please don't let Billy beat 'er up no more, cause she don't desoive it. An' please look out fer Rose an' Jessie an' Gabriel, cause dey don't desoive ta get beat up, eiddah. An' please look out fer all da newsies, an' please don't let Snipeshootah evah stop likin' me, cause 'e's me best friend, an' I like 'im a whole lot, an' I t'ink dat someday I could love 'im, so jist look out fer ever'body I care about, forevah 'n' evah, amen.

The next morning, Jack agreed to take Snipeshooter and Ruby to the hospital. Gabriel went with Itey, and Lucky decided to look out for the two younger girls.

The nurse at the hospital looked sixteen, if not younger, and apparently Jack's charms had some affect on her. "Hiya, I'se Jack, an' dis is me brudda an' me sistah, and our mudda's in dere, and we'd like ta see 'er, please."

"Of course," the nurse replied, smiling and batting her eyelashes. "What's your mother's name?"

"Danielle Dryden," piped Ruby.

"Right this way," said the nurse, smiling at Jack. Snipeshooter tried to keep himself from laughing, as did Ruby. Even Jack couldn't help but smile. The nurse showed them into a small room.

"T'anks," said Jack as the nurse smiled and closed the door.

"Ma," said Ruby softly. Then she realized what she had said. "Mrs. Dryden, 're ya awright?" she quickly asked.

"What?" Danielle Dryden was still groggy, and the medicines the doctors were giving her weren't helping too much.

"Mrs. Dryden, 're ya okay?" asked Snipeshooter.

"I... I don't remember anything... Where are my children?" she asked, sitting up straight and starting to get out of the bed.

"Don't worry, dey're okay. Gabriel went wit Itey, an' Rose an' Jessie went wit Lucky. Dey's fine. Itey an' Lucky'll look out fer dem," reassured Jack.

"Who are you?" asked Mrs. Dryden.

"Aww, dis is Jack Kelly. He's da leadah a da Manhattan newsies. Jack, dis is Mrs. Dryden," said Ruby.

"Nice ta meetcha," said Jack.

"Why am I here?"

"Gabriel said dat da folks 'cross da hall from yous took ya heah. I guess dat Billy was beatin' ya up again. Geemaneez, ya got bruises an' cuts ev'rywheah!"

"What about the children? Did he hurt the children?"

"Not much. Dey's fine. Uh, Rose had a buncha cuts, an' Jessie had a bruise an' a cut, an' Gabriel had a real nasty cut an' scrape an' bruise, but dey's fine now."

"Ruby took real good care a dem," Snipeshooter announced proudly, throwing an arm around Ruby's shoulders. "She outta be a noise, er sumpin."

"Yeah, I could be like dat noise dat was flirtin' witcha, Jacky-Boy," joked Ruby, earning a fake punch from Jack. "Anyway, dey can stay wit us till yer all bettah."

"Are you sure?" asked Mrs. Dryden uncertainly.

"Yeah, we'll take real good care a dem, an' stuff."

"An' I'll pay fer deir bunks. Cause I gots lotsa extra money," bragged Jack.

"I'll pay you back for it, Mr. Kelly, as soon as I can."

"Nah, don't worry 'bout it."

Mrs. Dryden insisted, though, and finally Jack gave in.

"Well, dere's papes ta be sold. G'bye, Mrs. Dryden. Hope ya get bettah soon."

"Yeah, hope ya feel bettah," added Ruby and Snipeshooter. "Bye!"

---

At noon, when all the newsies met at Tibby's, Itey was already there with Gabriel.

"'Ey, Ruby! 'Ey, Snipes! Guess what? Itey heah let me sell onna his papes, an' a whole buncha people come up an' dey all wanted ta buy a pape from me!"

"'E's a born newsie," said Itey with a trademark grin. "I t'ink I'll let him hawk da headlines fer da aftahnoon, an' I'se jist gonna sit back an' relax."

"Oh no ya don't!" warned Ruby, getting up in the larger and older newsie's face. "Ya gotta look out fer 'im, er I'll soak ya!"

"Ya really t'ink ya can soak me?" snickered Itey.

"Prob'ly. Ya ain't dat big, and yer pretty scrawny..." Ruby glanced at him. "I could prob'ly soak ya."

"Shoah," laughed Jack. The four newsies and Gabriel ordered their lunches.

Then the door opened, and in came Lucky, pushing the two younger newsies in front of her.

"Dat mean scabbah! I'll soak 'im!" cried Rose.

All the newsies in the vicinity laughed.

"What happened, Rose?" asked Ruby as she retied the younger girl's hair ribbons.

"Dis guy was swingin' dis cane 'round like a sword, an' 'e almost hit me! So I told 'im dat he bettah watch wheah 'e's swingin' dat t'ing, an' 'e stahts laughin' at me! An' 'e says, 'Whatcha gonna do 'bout it, lil goyl?' an' I says, 'I'll soak ya!' an' 'e laughed so hahd, 'e falls ovah in da middle a da street, an' 'e almost got run ovah by a trolley! So I was laughin' at 'im, an' 'e pushed me in da street!" sniffled Rose.

"Look at 'er, she spends da mornin' witcha, an' she's already tawkin' like a newsie!" joked Mush. "Geemaneez, is dis a fam'ly a newsies er what?"

Ruby glared at him. He almost blew her cover!

"I'm not a newsie, and I don't want to be," sniffed Jessie. "I don't want to be like that stupid boy with the cane."

"So ya ran inta Spot, huh? How's 'e doin'?" asked Jack.

"Aww, same as always. I wish I knew what 'e's got 'gainst me!" said Lucky in frustration.

"Don't worry 'bout it. 'E's Spot, an' 'e don't always got a reason fer doin' what 'e does," assured Jack, who had known the enigmatic leader of the Brooklyn newsies longer than anyone.

"So Lucky, ya want me ta take care a dese two fer da aftahnoon?" asked Ruby, speaking around a mouthful of food.

"Nah, dey's real good goyls, most a da time. I'll watch 'em. 'Less ya don't want me to."

"Dat's awright if ya want to."

"I wanna stay wit Itey! So I can sell s'more a dose papes," said Gabriel.

"Awright, awright! Jist stay outta trouble, ya heah me?"

Gabriel nodded with a grin. "Awright," he agreed.

---

That evening, the newsies were returning to the lodging house. Some of the newsies were standing outside in the street, still talking. Boots and Les were throwing snowballs at each other, and as Ruby approached, she saw the snowball fight and ran into the middle of the fight eagerly. Before they knew it, most of the newsies in the nearby area had joined in, and they all ran around, dodging snowballs and laughing.

Ruby ducked and was packing a handful of snow into a tight snowball when someone grabbed her shoulder. She stopped, terrifyed, and turned her head slowly.

A certain tall, red-headed young man was squeezing her shoulder. "Ya know ya look jist like me sistah Ann," he slurred.

"Uh, dat's nice, Mistah. Why doncha go visit 'er?"

The man slapped her. "Don't talk back ta me! I'm da president a dis heah country..."

"'Ey, whatta ya t'ink yer doin'?" asked Blink, coming over and pushing the man away from Ruby.

"Dat's me sistah," the drunk replied.

"Dat ain't yer sistah. I know dat goyl's fam'ly. Her fam'ly ain't a buncha drunks. So why doncha jist go home ta wheahevah it 's dat yer from, an' leave 'er alone, huh?"

"An' what 'xactly are ya gonna do 'bout it, Cyclops?" taunted the drunk.

Blink's temper lit up, and he attacked the man easily. From a combination of the alcohol and Blink's hard, direct punches, the man passed out in record time and lay in a pile of dirty slush.

"T'anks, Blink," said Ruby.

He grinned. "Anyt'ing fer onna ahr goyls," he said nonchalantly. Then he picked Ruby up and put her on his shoulders.

"Blink! Put me down!" she shouted.

"Geemaneez, goyl, yer light! Yer jist like Cassie!"

"Ya ready ta go ta Tibby's?" asked Boots, coming over with Slider, Les, Snipeshooter, and Tumbler.

"Yeah," replied Blink as he started walking.

"Bli-iiiiiink! Put me do-oooooown!" protested Ruby.

"I ain't puttin' ya down! What, ya wanna walk an' have yer feet freeze off?" he asked.

Ruby paused. "Fine, den. I'll stay up heah an' hit me head on da lampposts!"

Blink laughed. "It's a lose-lose situation, ain't it?"

"Yeah, but I guess I'll stay up heah. Better'n havin' me feet freeze off, I guess," she said cheerfully.

So the six newsies walked along (well, five walked, and one was carried) to Tibby's. It was quickly filling with newsies, who ate their supper while talking, laughing, and joking. All in all, it was a pretty pleasant atmosphere, and Ruby was glad to be in it. She couldn't think of anywhere she would rather be.

"So how'd ya like hangin' out wit Lucky, Rose?" asked Ruby, finishing her sarsaparilla.

"It was fun! I wanna be a goyl newsie jist like 'er an' you!" said Rose exuberantly, taking a big bite of her sandwich.

"I'm going to tell Mama that you two want to be newsies," said Jessie.

"Den I'll soak ya!" threatened Gabriel.

"Awright, awright, break it up," said Jack. "'Re yous goyls done yet?"

"I ain't a goyl!" protested Gabriel.

"Awright, 're yous goyls an' Gabriel done yet?"

"Yeah," they all replied. They got up, pulling on their coats. Rose ran to Lucky, Gabriel ran to find Les, Boots, and the other younger newsies, and Jessie and Ruby caught up with Snipeshooter. Itey picked Gabriel up and spun him around, as he often did to Slider.

"'Ey, Itey, do dat ta me!" cried Rose, running up to him.

"Me too!" begged Jessie.

"All right, all right," sighed Itey, swinging both of the little girls around. "Geez, yous goyls 's light!"

"Runs in da fam'ly, I guess," said Mush.

Luckily, no one else was really paying attention, so Mush lived to walk back to the lodging house.

When the newsies returned to the lodging house, Mrs. Dryden was sitting inside on a chair. She stood up when they all walked in.

"Ruby, can I talk to you? Alone," she said, and Ruby recognized the no-nonsense tone in her voice.

"Yeah, shoah. Snipes, wouldja watch dese t'ree fer a couple minutes?" asked Ruby.

Snipeshooter nodded. "C'mon, how 'bout yous t'ree go play wit Ruby's dog fer a liddle bit?" He ushered the three kids upstairs, and Ruby sat down in the other chair beside Mrs. Dryden.

"I went back to my apartment today... I was released early this morning, and I immediately went home to clean up the apartment- I could only imagine what Billy had done, and I wanted to clean up a bit before I came here to get the children and take them home. I returned to my apartment, and Billy was unconscious on the floor with a knife in his hand, and..." Mrs. Dryden paused.

"An' what, Mrs. Dryden?" asked Ruby quietly.

"The woman from across the hallway... she was there, too... only she had huge cuts everywhere, and she was lying in a pool of blood. She was dead."

Ruby gasped. She had never pictured Billy capable to do anything of that sort.

"I went to the police, of course, and they arrested Billy, and now he's in jail, and I've got to find a new apartment building."

"'Re yous gonna move 'way from heah?"

"No, because we've got nowhere to go. There's also something else..."

"What?" asked Ruby.

"I was looking in the registration book... and I noticed that you sign in under the name Ruby Dryden."

Ruby's stomach fell. She didn't know what to say.

"Look, I... um... it's me, Ma. It's Ann," Ruby said simply.

"What? But you... you... your... all this time?"

"It ain't been dat long, Ma! Only 'bout two weeks! Not even dat long!"

"You lied."

"I did not!"

"Yes you did!"

"I nevah said I wasn't Ann! I jist... gotta nickname. Dat's awl."

Mrs. Dryden paused. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Cause I didn't wanna move back in wit yous guys! Not wit Billy beatin' ya up ev'ry udda day! 'E nevah liked me much. 'E said dat ta me, on C'rismus. 'E said I looked like Ann. An' I t'ought the was gonna kill me."

"Ann... what on earth did you do to your hair?"

Ruby laughed. "I cut it! So I'd look more like a boy! I know it don't woik er nuttin', but it might help in a crowd er sumpin'. I'se sure it'll come in handy some day!"

Mrs. Dryden smiled. "You've got to come back and live with us. It's either that, or go to the boarding school."

"Why? I like it heah! I could make all da money ya need fer a new 'partment. Jist big enough fer yous four."

"You couldn't make that much alone."

"Then let Gabriel an' Rose help! Dey both wanna be newsies! An' Gabriel's real good at it! 'E sold a buncha papes awready!"

Mrs. Dryden paused. "So you'd live here, but you and Gabriel- I won't have Rose being a newsie, at least, not yet- would provide for the family?"

Ruby nodded. "'E can live wit ya. An' if it'd really bothah ya dat much, I'd come an' live wit yous, but I'd ratha stay heah. Awl me friends is heah. An' Snipes is heah. An'-"

"All right. You live hear, Gabriel lives with me, you both sell papes and provide for the family," said Mrs. Dryden carefully. Ruby nodded, a hopeful grin on her face. "All right."

Ruby squealed and hugged her mother. "T'anks, Ma! Ya won't regret it! I promise!" Then she ran upstairs to tell her little brother and sisters the wonderful news.