As Mush, Kid Blink, David Jacobs, and Jack Kelly gathered before the crowd to sing "Amazing Grace", I went to Skittery, wrapping my arms around him. He hugged me and cried into my hair. Tears poured down my cheeks and I buried my face in his jacket. I just hoped that I was comforting him.

The boys began singing as some men lowered the wooden coffin into its final resting place.

Skittery and I slowly advanced toward the grave. He bent down, took a handful of dirt, and cast it into the grave. I followed suit, as did the crowd after Skittery and I.

The two of us started down the street alone, not really with a direction in mind. I only followed where Skittery walked. Soon, we ended up in Central Park.

The rain beat down on us unmercifully as we held onto one another. At that point, I thought I could cry no more tears until Skittery looked at me with bloodshot eyes and whispered, "I want my Dad back."

Fresh tears escaped my eyes and I pulled him close again. Skittery cried and whispered, "I can't believe he's gone."

I don't know how long it was before I felt several presences all around us. I opened my eyes to see many of the newsies from the lodging house standing nearby. Without a word, Jack came up and wrapped his arms around both Skittery and I. Soon, all of them were around us, like a big group hug. Somehow, the whole thing made me feel a little better. I could also sense that it had lifted Skittery's spirits. At that time I felt like these were the best friends anyone could ever have; they were angels sent to us from Heaven.

The next few weeks were rough on Skittery. Whenever we were together he would cry. I always tried to comfort him, and he told me I was helping, but just the same I felt as if I was no help at all. It was no assistance to him that I would begin to cry every time a tear escaped his eyes.

Finally, he began feeling better. Little by little, he became himself once again. When he finally smiled for the first time since his father's death, I was so happy that I kissed him. Then he laughed outright, and I felt embarassed at my forwardness. However, he thanked me. "I needed somethin' ta make me smile," he told me with a grin.

Still, for a long while after that, he would sob after only mentioning his father. I wanted to cry with him, but soon I decided that it was my place to comfort Skittery, and that I didn't need to cry for Mr. O'Reilly any longer. He was in Heaven now, and well out of harm's way.

One night during this time, I decided to write a letter home to my parents. Although I knew that they weren't the best parents on earth, I knew that they weren't the worst, either, and they deserved to know where I was and what I was doing. So, one night I borrowed some paper and a pen from Kloppman and wrote down everything that had happened since I had left home. I ended the letter with, "Mother, Father, I am terribly sorry that I ran away from you. Please understand, however, that at this moment I am the happiest that I have ever been in my life. I would not trade my life here in New York for anything in the world. Remember that I love you both. -Hannah."

Then, one day three weeks later, Skittery didn't cry. Looking me in the eye, he told me, "I miss Dad, but I've come ta realize that it does 'im no good fer me ta cry all th' time."

I smiled at him. "Your father would want you to be happy, Skit."

He grinned, looking into my eyes. "And I am happy. Aye, that I am."

Later that day, Skittery and I were selling the evening edition together.

"Extra! Extra!" I called. "Flaming cow in Midtown causes riot! Extra! Extra! Read all the exciting details!"

As Skittery laughed, a man with a beautiful blonde on his arm tapped my shoulder. "Buy a pape, sir?" I asked him.

He nodded. Something about him was vaguely familiar, but for some reason I couldn't put my finger on it. Fishing around in his pocket, he handed me a nickel in exchange for a paper. "Thank you sir," I said.

The man smiled and turned with the woman to walk away. It was then that it hit me.

"David!"