By: Bumlets Girl
Hey! Geez, don't go sneakin' up on me like dat. Can't think why yer here in Brooklyn unless ya wanted ta meet me, Spot Conlon. Dat's not da reason? What is it then? Ya want ta know how me ‘n' Jack Kelly became friends? Alright, let me take you back a few years.
~
"Come back ‘ere ya punk!"
Dat's me, chasin' after another kid who decided ta pick a fight with Spot Conlon. When will dey learn nobody can beat me?
"Ya let anudder one git away?"
I spun around, lookin' fer da guy who said dat. When I saw nothin' I thought maybe I saw goin' crazy or somethin'.
"Ya can't be the Spot Conlon I've heard so much about."
"What've ya heard?"
Dis kid steps out from behind some crates. He was dressed like a cowboy, someone I could soak easily. He came up ta me, an' th' smile on ‘is face showed he had a big ego.
"So whatja hear ‘bout me?"
He started laughin' at me! Nobody ever laughed at me b'fore. "Yer not Spot Conlon, leader of Brooklyn."
My hand went ta my cane. I felt like bashin' ‘is brains in. "What makes ya say dat?"
"Yer playin' favorites already, lettin' da little ones ‘scape easily."
"Like you'se could do betta." I figgered give ‘im a challenge he can't take.
"I could an' would."
He was really startin' ta git on my nerves. First he insults me, den he laughs at me, now he's sayin' he's better dan me. "How, ya gonna soak me?"
I let da laugh go dis time. I decided dis kid was insane. "Nah, you'd let me go just like dat udder kid."
An idea came ta my head just then. Der were two guys Oscar ‘n' Morris--what? Sure der in Manhattan now, let me finish. Anyways, dese two were da worst in Brooklyn an' everyone lost ta dem, ‘xcept me a course. Dis guy would be an easy target fer ‘em.
"Have ha ever heard of da Delancey brudders?" I asked.
"I hearda dem."
"If ya soak both of ‘em, I'll change my name ta Sue."
Da way he smiled made me want ta knock dose pearly whites loose, woulda made ‘im fear me. Still don't know why I didn't.
"May as well change it now."
We walked ta th' docks where dese guys were usually. I climbed up on a crate ta watch th' fun. Dis kid started fer Oscar, head-buttin' ‘im in th' gut. Den Morris grabbed ‘im an' started swingin' at in, never missin'. When Oscar got over ‘is attack, he went after da cowboy too. I started laughin' ta myself ‘cause dis kid wasn't winnin' da fight, which was good ‘cause Sue don't strike fear in people's hearts like Spot Conlon.
I started ta leave when I saw Morris pull somethin' outta his pocket. Once he pulled in on ‘is fingers I saw it was brass knuckles. Now dat ain't playin' fair, an' da cowboy was soaked enough ta git da point. I pulled out my slingshot an' shot at Morris, hittin' ‘im on da cheek, makin' ‘im fall back in da river. I den jumped on Oscar an' pushed ‘im ta join ‘is brudder.
"I had it under control ya know."
I looked over at da kid. "Yer lucky I decided ta stay or dey woulda laid ya over."
I helped ‘im up an' checked in anythin' was broken. "What's yer name kid?"
"Jack Kelly." he answered.
Ya should leave Brooklyn so's dey can't find ya."
"Yeah, sure."
He stared ta walk away. "Hey Jack!" I yelled.
He turned an' glared at me. "What do ya want now?"
"How come I never saw ya b'fore?"
"Just ‘scaped from da Refuge."
Now dat deserved a pat on da back. I never met a kid who escaped dat place. Den I got anudder idea. "Why doncha to ta Manhattan? Become a newsie an' stay with Skittery an his boys?"
Yeah, hard ta believe Skittery was da leader of da Manhattan newsies. Anyways, he looked at me kinda funny an' asked, "Why should I?"
"Ya showed gut taday an' ya ‘scaped da Refuge. Ta me, yer as tough as any newsie. Skittery could teach ya ta fight too."
Der he goes smilin' again. "Every newsie but you'se."
He walked away, headin' ta Manhattan. By dis time da Delanceys were outta da water an' heard everythin' dat was said. So dey started fer Manhattan too, maybe ta finish Jack off. Ya'd think dey woulda done it after six years.
Huh? Yah, da strike was last year. Don't know how Jack became leader of da Manhattan newsies so don't ask. Look, if ya want ta know more ‘bout Jack an' where he is, go der an' ask ‘im!
Wait, b'fore ya go, don't bring up how we know each udder ‘cause he always changes da story. Alright, now beat it. Huh? Sure, I'll see you'se in Brooklyn again. Come ta th' docks, I'm always ‘ere.