"We gotta look for 'im. 'E don't really know 'is way 'round New York yet, 'e jus' ran away ya know, an' 'e's gotta be lost or 'e'd be back by now." Lynn pleaded, taking the cards from the middle of the table.
"Hey Lynn, let us finish da game at least," Race said, reaching out to take the cards back. "We's almost done, den we'll go look for 'im wit' ya."
"Where's Jack?" Lynn asked, looking around the room.
"I... I dunno, haven't seen 'im since, uh..." he paused to think, "dis afta'noon. 'E ain't been 'ere all night, not dat I's seen." Race said, putting some cards down and waiting for Mush to take his turn.
"Well den dere's jus' too many people missin' for ya to jus' sit dere playin' cards!" Lynn said, snatching the cards out of his hand and putting them back in the deck.
"Hey!" Race shouted, "what're ya doin'?"
"I need ya to help me find Flash. An' Jack for dat matta'. An' - " Lynn broke off and looked around the room. "Oh crap," she muttered.
"What?" Pie Eater asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Whea's Clara?" Lynn asked, closing her eyes briefly out of sheer impatience. The boys looked around them.
"She in da bunkroom?" Mush asked, his eyes narrowing in puzzlement.
"No... no one's in dere. Pokey an' I were standing in da hallway talkin' for a second, but I looked in dere an' no one was dere." Lynn said, pushing her hair back and taking off her hat to twist it nervously in her hands. "C'mon, we's gotta look for 'em!"
"You'se right. We'd betta' start lookin' for dem right away." Blink said, putting his cards back on the deck and standing up, "c'mon."
"Someone's gotta stay 'ere in case dey come back. A couple 'a someones, actually." Lynn said, trying to take control of the situation.
"Dat's true. Who wants to stay?" No one volunteered.
"I'd stay but I think I really gotta go wit' on dis one." Pokey said, stepping next to Lynn.
"Aww... I'll stay." Skittery said, sitting down on a chair and looking around him.
"I'll stay wit' ya," Mush said. Pie Eater agreed and sat down.
"If anyone comes, ya don't gotta come find us, 'less all three of 'em's back. 'Cause we'll still have people ta look for," Lynn said, her eyes wide. The newsies staying behind nodded. "We's gotta be back 'ere in a couple 'a hours. Nobody go off alone, 'cause we don't want more people gettin' lost!" Lynn said. No one commented on her sudden bossiness, and she was glad of that.
They set off in their separate directions, searching for Flash, Jack and Clara. Where on earth could they all be?
Powder was in a hurry to get back to the Girls' Lodging House in Brooklyn. It was dark out, and she didn't want to run into any trouble. She knew if she was too late, her girls would start to worry, and might even come out looking for her. She stopped running when she saw the figure sitting huddled on the curb up ahead.
"Who's dere?" she asked cautiously. She didn't want anyone to jump up and grab her. The figure made no response. Powder carefully stepped next to the person. "Who're you?" She asked, widening her eyes. It was a boy, slightly smaller than she was. He had very dark brown, wavy hair and dark grey eyes. He looked like he was in pain.
"I's Flash," the boy said weakly.
"What's da matta'?" Powder asked, worried.
"I did somethin' stupid an' got in a fight." Flash said, unwilling to tell her the whole story.
"You from 'round hea'?" Powder asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she thought. She was sure she didn't recognize him.
"No, I's from Manhattan." Flash said, "is dat real far from hea'?" Powder nodded. Manhattan... that was where Lynn was from.
"Ya know Lynn?" Powder asked him.
"Yeah, she's one a my friends." Flash said, nodding painfully.
"I s'pose ya gotta get back dere, huh?" Powder asked, knowing he would say yes.
"Yeah. Dey's gonna worry 'bout me. I ain't been a newsie for very long, jus' a couple 'a days, an' I jus' started livin' out... hea' a couple 'a weeks ago." Flash admitted.
"Can ya walk?" Powder asked.
"A litta', an' not very fast... da real thing is dat I's lost. Dat's what got me in trouble in da foyst place. I's neva' been ta Brooklyn... ya live 'round hea'?" He asked her.
"Yeah. I's a Brooklyn newsie." Powder said, nodding to him.
"Ya eva' met Spot Conlon?" Flash asked ruefully.
"Yeah... acshully" Powder began, "I's his goyl." She smiled sheepishly.
"Dat guy's got a goyl?" Flash said incredulously.
"Yeah." Powder said, "why?"
"Well, 'e wasn't all dat nice ta me. See... I got lost, an'..." he told her the whole story. Powder was a little mad at Spot for jumping to conclusions that way.
"Although I s'pose 'e's always dat way. Real protective. An' dat boy, Flare? 'E's like 'is lackey. Always followin' 'im 'round an' stuff. Really looks up to Spot." Powder took Flash's arm and helped him stand up. Flash grimaced in pain but recovered briefly.
"I think we can go now, ya jus' gotta show me da way." Flash said. Powder obligingly began the walk to the Manhattan Lodging House. Her girls could worry... there was nothing she could do about it right now.
Part Twelve
At the sound of the knock, Pie Eater raised his eyebrows, "who'd knock 'ere? C'mon in!" He called to the person on the other side of the door. Powder walked in, with Flash close behind.
"Look who I found," Powder said, smiling. Flash collapsed into a chair.
"Good Lord, kid, what happened to ya?" Mush asked, looking at Flash's bruised face. Powder turned around.
"I's really gotta go now, should 'a been back long time ago. See ya all lata', an' tell Lynn I said hi." Powder walked out the door and half-walked, half-ran the whole way back to Brooklyn.
"Oh my goodness... someone remind me neva' ta mess wit' Spot Conlon." Flash groaned, trying to get comfortable on the chair he was sitting in. He soon pronounced it impossible, due to his 'beating', and just let himself hurt while he rested.
"Ya ain't gonna tell me ya got inta' a fight wit' Spot Conlon an' are hea' ta talk 'bout it, are ya?" Skittery asked skeptically. Flash shook his head.
"Uh-uh. I jus' made 'im mad. I had ta fight 'is litta' lackey." Flash said, carefully touching his face to make sure he was still more or less in one piece. He wondered what he looked like, and just how badly beaten up he was. "Geez I was lucky dat goyl 'appened ta be walkin' by whea' I was..." he said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, even luckier dat it was Powda'. She's a good friend 'a Lynn, an' us too, 'a course," Pie Eater said. "Wait a sec... why were ya way ova' in Brooklyn?" Flash looked sheepish.
"I was sorta, uh, lost..." he mumbled, and then carefully looked around him.
"So, whea' is everybody?" he asked slowly.
"Lookin' for you... an' Jack.. an' Clara," Mush explained.
"Well, I's found, an' - " Flash broke off, startled by another knock at the door.
"What is it wit' knocking lately..." Skittery began, "c'mon in!" He called to the person on the other side of the door.
"Hello," came a deep, unfamiliar voice as the door swung open. There were two police officers standing outside the door of the Lodging House.
"Oh Lord..." Mush murmured under his breath.
"Why're you hea'?" Flash asked politely.
"We are looking for a runaway named..." he checked a piece of paper he held, "James Jenkins." Flash turned around quickly so that no one, least of all the policemen, could see the color leave his face. Pokey! What did they want from him? They couldn't let him get caught, that was for certain. Flash hoped that all the newsies and their search parties stayed gone for a long, long time.
"I don't know anybody named dat, do youse, Skit?" Pie Eater said, narrowing his eyes.
"I honestly neva' hoyd da name," Skittery said, shrugging his shoulders. Mush nodded in agreement.
"Neva' hoyd 'a 'im. I'd rememba'," Mush said, shaking his head. Flash turned around.
"Don't know anyone by dat name," Flash managed to choke out. He must have sounded more convincing than he felt, because no one gave a second thought to the matter. The policeman held up the piece of paper and showed it to Flash.
"This is a photograph of the boy we are looking for. Have you seen him anywhere?" Flash stared at the photograph of Pokey.
"Neva' seen 'im, honest." He said, turning around to give the other boys wide-eyed, nervous stares, hoping they'd understand. They each took their turn looking at the picture, and each denied ever having seen the boy in the photo.
"Is anyone else here?" The police officer asked, starting up the stairs.
"Dere's no one else in hea', dey all went out... for walks or somethin'." Mush said, shrugging his shoulders absently.
"Yeah, or still sellin' papes," Pie Eater added. The police seemed satisfied with this answer, and as they were leaving, one turned back around. He took a ten dollar bill out of his pocket.
"If you tell me where this boy is, you can have this ten dollar bill right now, and five more dollars after I get the reward money." The policeman said. The boys' eyes snapped open. Fifteen bucks! But they slowly shook their heads. They would never turn their friend in like that. The policeman shrugged. They walked out the door, closing it behind them. Suddenly, it opened again, and the policeman stepped back inside.
"One last thing... is there a... girl who stays here?" He asked, cocking his head in question. Flash's eyes widened again, and he didn't look over at the policeman.
"Dere's a few of 'em, why?" Mush said.
"Ah, just wondering." The policeman said, and then they walked away, closing the door firmly behind them. Flash slumped down in his chair, and then painfully sat up straight. He'd have to remember he'd just gotten soaked pretty bad.
"What'd Pokey do? Why're da police lookin' for 'im?" Mush asked, concerned.
"'E ran away. I knew 'is parents would do dis." Flash growled, glaring at the door the police had just left from. "Wait.. when are da uddas comin' back?"
"Dey said dey'd only search for, ah, a couple hours... dey'll be back soon." Skittery said.
"I hope dem policemen are far away by den," Flash said, shaking his head.
Part Thirteen
Pokey and Lynn turned down every dark alley, every side street, searching for Flash and Jack. Lynn refused to look for Clara, but they were looking for anyone, so if they'd found Clara, Pokey was pretty sure Lynn would take her back to the Lodging House anyway. What they, and none of the other newsies knew, was that the only one they would find, Flash, was already back at the Lodging House. Worrying about them.
After spending a considerable amount of time looking, and finding nothing, Pokey stopped and looked at Lynn. "Lynn, I think we should go back now," he said, turning her around. She reluctantly admitted that they should go.
"It is real late," Lynn admitted, shrugging her shoulders in partial defeat. "I guess ya right."
"Maybe dey'll be sittin' in da Lodgin' House when we get back dere." Pokey suggested, trying to make Lynn feel better.
"Maybe," Lynn murmured, sounding unconvinced. She led them back in silence, until they were about a block away. "Pokey, get in hea'!" She hissed, ducking into the alley across the street. She peered around the corner. Pokey looked out too. "No, stay back... I bet dey'se lookin' for you." Lynn said, watching the police intently. They were walking out of the Lodging House and down the street, towards Pokey and Lynn. "Hide!" She instructed, laying on the ground and pressing herself as close to the wall and into the dark shadows as possible. "Shut ya eyes ta keep any light from reflectin' off of 'em. Now don't say anythin'." She squinted out at the policemen. They stopped and looked into the alley, as if they'd heard a rustling.
"That Jenkins kid can't keep away from us for long. We gotta go back there when there are more boys there. He'll show up, by and by." A police officer said to his fellow officer as they walked past the alley. Lynn couldn't catch the other officer's reply, but she didn't need to. As the other boys returned to the Lodging House, Lynn and Pokey remained crouched in the shadows of the alley.
After what seemed like forever, Pokey finally asked, "when's it safe ta come out?"
"Hang on," Lynn said, carefully peering out of the alley and down the street as far as she could see. She saw no movement. "Ok, we's gonna run back." The two of them tore out of the alley, up the steps, and into the Lodging House.
"Flash!" Pokey said when he saw his friend. Then he got a better look at him. "Oh geez, Flash... what'd ya do to ya'self?" He wore an expression of shock that nearly matched Lynn's.
"Da kid got 'imself inta' a fight wit' none otha' than Spot Conlon." Race said, sort of dazed.
"Spot Conlon beat 'cha up?!" Lynn exclaimed.
"No... dis kid, Flare, who's like 'is lackey. 'E's da one dat beat me up. Foyst I made Spot mad, den 'e sent dis kid ta fight me. Well, I's neva' been a fighta'... neva' was in a real fight..." Flash made a face, "an' I guess it wasn't 'zactly evenly matched." He looked very tired.
"I say we all go ta bed," Lynn said. Then she remembered something. "Wait - anyone find Jack?" The newsies shook their heads. "Somethin' weird's goin' on. 'Though I can't 'zactly say dat I miss Clara." The other newsies just looked at each other. How could Jack just disappear?
"If anyone can take care 'a himself, it's Jack." Race said assuredly, "so don't worry 'bout 'im. I think we should go ta bed too." They all walked up the stairs and went to sleep, although they all wondered about Jack. Where could he be?
Part Fourteen
Flash was happy with his new found injuries. Some how a beat-up 'poor little' newsie gained more sympathy than just a 'poor little' newsie. He smiled and practiced his limp. Even though he was stiff and sore, he wasn't about to miss a day of selling papers over it. As he put it, "an' waste dis sellin' opportunity? In ya dreams!"
"So Flash, how 'zactly didja get back ta da Lodgin' House?" Lynn asked as she, Flash, and Pokey set out for another day of selling.
"Dis goyl.. she's ya friend, Lynn..." Flash began, trying to think of her name.
"Powda'?" Lynn asked, slightly surprised.
"Yeah, dat's 'er. She was walkin' by an' saw me, an' she was kinda mad at Spot for beatin' me up. She said she was 'is goyl..." he paused for a moment, and Pokey's eyes sort of bugged out.
"Da guy's got a goyl?" Pokey spluttered.
"Yeah." Lynn said, a puzzled expression on her face. "Why?" Pokey shrugged.
"Didn't seem like da type ta have a goyl, dat's all," Pokey blushed slightly. Lynn just rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, dat goyl, Powda', knew da way to da Lodgin' House, so she brought me back an' den ran off back ta Brooklyn." Flash stopped telling his story and the three of them remained very quiet for a while. "So, da police are lookin' for ya, 'eh Pokey?" Flash finally asked.
"Yeah. I hoyd 'em talkin' earlier. Dey's got a fifty dolla' reward on 'is head! 'Is parents offered fifty dolla's!!!" Lynn said incredulously, her eyes very wide.
"Yeah, an' Lynn saw 'em comin' out 'a da Lodgin' House last night. We hid in an alley." Pokey offered.
"Yeah, da police offa'ed fifteen bucks to da boy who'd turn ya in, Pokey. Luckily no one was dat desp'rate for money." Flash shook his head, "really, ya shouldn't be out hea'. Dey can see ya plain as day, an' dey's got a photograph of ya too."
"Dey offa'ed fifteen bucks?" Lynn asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise.
"Yeah, I was hopin' no one'd turn ya in!" Flash shook his head, and then looked up, remembering something, "an' dey asked 'bout you, Lynn." Lynn cocked her head.
"Dey did? What'd dey say?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in confusion.
"Dey jus' said, 'is dere a goyl dat stays 'ere?'. Mush said dere were a few, which ain't really a lie. Dere's two... sorta." Flash answered. Lynn nodded.
"Well, dat means dey sure saw us both, Pokey... but dey don't know for sure dat we's newsies." Lynn said, "but ya know... Flashs right. If dey see ya out hea' dey'll try ta... ta 'take' ya. Dey were jus' gonna grab ya dat night when I hoyd 'em talkin'. An' Flash an' you an' I ain't such a good match for several armed policemen." Lynn said, her eyes darkening as she thought. "We gotta hide ya." She said, biting her lip.
"What're we gonna do... leave 'im in da Lodgin' House all day long?" Flash asked skeptically.
"Ya can't do dat! I gotta sell papes, make money... ya know..." Pokey protested, crossing his arms across the newspapers he clutched to his chest. "'Sides, if dey come lookin' for me in da Lodgin' House, dey's really gonna suspect if I's hidin' or somethin' dere."
"Yeah, I know. Dis is a problem." Flash observed.
"Why don't we jus' tell 'em dere's gotta be some mistake, dat dis ain't da kid dey're lookin' for?" Lynn suggested.
"'Cause den dey'll say, 'tell it to ya parents, kid', an' take me home. My parents ain't gonna be duped by me." Pokey said, frowning.
"Well... so we soak ev'ry police guy dat tries ta get 'cha. Or da next time we see 'em wit' dat photograph Flash saw, we snatch it an' rip it up. We gotta keep 'em from knowin' dat you'se who ya are." Lynn said sarcastically, looking at Pokey. "An' in da meantime... how're we gonna make ya look less like ya'self?" It was more of a statement than a question, because Lynn was already deep in thought.
"'E can jus' wear some udda' clothes. Someone else's stuff or somethin'. Dat way 'is parents won't recognize da clothes," Flash pointed out.
"Well, dat for starta's... but we should cut 'is hair or somethin' too. An'... like... get 'im glasses or somethin'." Lynn said, pondering the problem.
"Cut my hair?!" Pokey screeched in protest, "an' dere's no way I's wearin' glasses!" Lynn shrugged.
"Whaddya you suggest we do, den. Ya can't jus' run around in clothes from ya house. Ya parents know what dey look like. Dey's prob'ly gonna start lookin' for ya too." Lynn paused as a crazy idea came to her. "Wait..." she said, looking at Pokey for a long time. "Ya parents'd neva' guess dat you'd leave, would dey?"
"What?" Pokey exclaimed, "I ain't leavin'..."
"Not very far, jus'... Brooklyn, I was thinkin'. Or maybe somewhea' else... but I knows some people in Brooklyn. Nice people... dey wouldn't've beat 'cha up, Flash, if dey'd known ya were my friend." Lynn said, seriously contemplating the idea. "Da Brooklyn Lodgin' House is all da way on da udda' side 'a Brooklyn from 'ere..."
"But dat's whea' Spot's from!" Flash said, shocked that Lynn would even suggest that.
"Like I said, Spot wouldn't've beat 'cha up if 'e'd known ya were my friend. Maybe ya shoulda told 'im." Lynn said, smiling in spite of herself. "But I's met most 'a da guys dere, an' dey's real nice... ''sides, I haven't seen any 'a my friends from Brooklyn for a while. 'Bout a week or so." Lynn nodded, "seriously Pokey, ya should think 'bout it. Maybe it'd be betta' dat way. Da police'd neva' see ya wit' me anymore, an' I doubt ya parents'll look for ya much in Brooklyn. If dey start... well, we can woyk on dat when da problem comes up." Pokey looked apprehensive.
"But I don't know anyone from Brooklyn," Pokey protested again.
"Hmm... I s'pose Flash could go wit' ya," Lynn said apprehensively, and pushed her hair
back. She didn't really want to send her new friends away, but it wasn't as if Pokey wanted
the police to be after him either. She'd bring it up later, to the guys. They generally gave good advice.
To part
4!