Finally, the day of our arrival at the New York harbor came.

"You're going ta need a job," Skittery told me. "The best for you may be selling papes, just in case ya run into your brothers on th' street. When ya arrive in Manhattan, find the Duane Street Newsboys' Lodging House an' stay there. There's a girls' room that you can board in."

"When will you be along?" I asked.

"Ah, in th' next few days," he answered. "I have ta finish my duties on this ship. Look! There's the Statue."

Looking up ahead, I spotted the Statue of Liberty, holding her torch high and proud. A chill ran down my spine as I realized that I was finally in America. It was only a matter of time until we reached the mainland.

"Well," Skittery began, "I must go. I have ta help get th' ship docked." He kissed my hand.

"See you soon, Skittery," I said.

He smiled and was on his way. I turned back toward the Statue and watched as the mainland got closer. Finally, we docked at the New York harbor.

I ran to my cabin to gather my things. One by one, the other passengers stepped down the gangplank and onto American ground. We were thrilled. Putting our baggage onto a cart to be checked, we got into a line for our examinations.

A crying woman and her child came back from the front of the line. When several other passengers asked her what was wrong, all she could reply was, "Trachoma."

"They're deporting already?" I asked the man in front of me.

He turned to look at me and started babbling on in a foreign language. Then, he turned back around. I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned to the woman behind me.

"Trachoma, the eye disease," she said.

"Yes, I know. But why -"

"They deport anyone who has it," she cut in.

"But...what if I have it?" I asked her.

She took a long look at me. "You don't," she said, finally.

I turned back around, stunned at the cruelty this country was already displaying. Those people had no homes to return to! What were they supposed to do? I stood there, silent, until it came my turn to have an examination.

"Name?" the doctor asked.

"Hannah Setton. H-a-n-n-a-h S-e-t-t-o-n."

"Age?"

"Sixteen."

"Country of origin?"

"England."

"Thank you. I was making sure the information on your papers was correct. I'm Doctor Smith."

Dr. Smith did an examination on me, to make sure my health was good enough so that I could go on. After a long and nervous wait, he finally told me, "Healthy. Go pick up your baggage."

With a smile, I ran past him and found where they had put my things. Picking up the burlap bag and slinging it over my shoulder, I wandered toward the door that lead outside the immigration building.

"Miss! Miss!"

A young man stopped me. "I know where you can get a decent job and boarding."

"I don't need that. I already know where I'm going to work and live," I told him.

"Where?" he persisted.

"The lodging house on Duane Street. Would you be so kind as to show me the way?"

"Certainly, miss. Let me take your bag," he offered.

Flattered, I said, "That's kind of you." I handed him the bag.

"T'anks a bunch, dollface!" he yelled, running away with my bag.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Theif!"

I started running after him, but he was too fast for me. Finally, I collapsed onto a bench, exhausted and frustrated. My only posessions had been in that bag, though it wasn't much more than a few shillings and a photograph.

"Well, this is shaping up to be a fine day indeed!" I said sarcastically to myself.

"What'sa matta, miss?"

Oh, no, I thought, turning to meet the friendly eyes of a teenage boy.

"Well, for one thing, I'm lost, and for another, I just had my only posessions stolen from me by a no-account ruffian."

"I's sorry...My name's Snitch. What's yours?"

"Hannah," I answered. "Pleased to meet you...I think."

He kissed my hand. "Don't be scared a' me. I won't hurt ya."

I noticed the stack of newspapers he held.

"Are you a newsy?" I asked.

"Yup."

"Do you know Skittery?"

"Hey! How d'you know Skit?" he asked, surprised.

"I made friends with him on the voyage over from England. He told me to find the Duane Street lodging house."

"Ya don' say! Dat's where I live," Snitch said.

"Really? Could you take me there?" I asked hopefully.

"Shoa. You can stay wit' me while I finish sellin' dese papes."

I stayed with Snitch as he finished selling his newspapers, and I even sold a few myself. Finally, it was time for dinner.

"We's goin' ta Tibby's. You wanna eat dere?" he asked.

"Yes, I suppose," I answered.

"Da food's not too great, but it's edible, at least," he said.

"That's fine with me," I replied, following him to the small restaurant.

We entered the building. It was very dimly-lit, and there were several other teenage boys and girls there, most of which I guessed were newsies.

Snitch and I sat down at a long table that was crowded with seven boys and three girls, not counting Snitch and I. He went around the table, introducing everyone.

"Dat's Mush Meyers, Racetrack Higgins, Kid Blink, Coaldust McGinty, Cheater Molloy, Ghost Willis, Beggar Johnson, Ribbons McFarland, Twiggy Townsend, and Monkey McCartney."

All of them waved hello, as did I, although other than that, only Snitch and the three girls, Twiggy, Monkey, and Ribbons, paid any attention to me until Snitch announced, "Hannah knows Skittery!"

I was suddenly showered with questions left and right. Happily, I answered them as we continued eating our supper.

After we finished eating, every one of us left the restaurant at the same time and headed toward the lodging house. When we got inside, an old man approached me.

"You da new goil, eh? Well, heah's da rules: no drinkin', no smokin', no cursin', no spittin', no fightin'. Dat's 'bout it. Five cents a night, an' sign da book."

"I'm payin' 'er foist night, Kloppman," Snitch told him as I signed my name in the log.

As the group of us walked up the stairs, Snitch told me, "Da goils' room is to da right, an' da boys' is to da left. G'night."

"'Night!" everyone called to each other. I followed the other girls into our bunkroom, and Monkey told me, "You can take any bunk dat doesn't have anybody's stuff on it. Sweet dreams."

I found a bunk and lay down. How do they live like this every day? I wondered. Well, no matter. I have to get used to it, I suppose.