Elizabeth headed back to the stables to find Tom and fury. They were naturally over by his stall and there where two guys talking to Tom. Elizabeth assumed they weere his friends. The one that first caught her attention was a slightly short looking Italian (yes I know Higgins is Irish, but let's not get technical) with black hair. He was talking rather loudly while smoking his Havana cigar. Though she thought he was very good looking she did not fail to see his companion. He was taller than the Italian and his brown hair was hiden under a black Santa Fe style cowboy hat. Aroudn his neck he fashioned a red bandanna.
"Here comes our star jockey now!" Tom said looking at Elizabeth. His two friends turned to greet her.
"Dat was a great race kid! Glad Tom hea gave me dat hot tip!" the short one said.
"Made his day," Cowboy stated.
"Dis hea," Tom pointed first to the cigar smoker, "is Race, Racetrack Higgins and dats Cowboy or Jack, eidda name woiks. Guys dis is ..." He was bout ta say da first name dat came to his mind.
"Elizabeth," she said taking off her helmet letting her long hair fall down. She could quickly decipher character just from looks and knew her secret would be safe. However, sha failed to see that several jocks where coming her way.
"Yer a goil!" both gasped and da cigar fell out of Race's mouth. Simultanesouly, the same ejaculation came out of the jockeys.
"Oh chit," she mumbled.
"You guys where beat by a goil?" Race started crackin up and Jack joiend in. Dey stopped though when Tom shot them a look.
"Elizabeth?! Whad happened to Steve?" Da tallest of the jocks asked. He had blonde hair and piercing green eyes.
"He's sick Scott, couldn't make it."
"Well, we better tell your uncle that his sweet lil niece here was da champ taday."
"Ya don't need to, he awready knows. In fact he gave me permission."
"Whad? Doesn't he know if woid spread of dis it'll be da ruin of..."
"Of whad chum?" Race broke in, "yer lousy reps."
"Lousy?! How dare you!"
"Ooo, touchy, touchy," Jack tisked.
"Ya wanna start something?" The infuriated Scott moved forward.
"Ya, we'll start something," Race moved in to back up his friend.
"Hey dis don't concoin you, Race, Jack," Elizabeth said.
"Yeah but it does concoin you," Scott glared at her. "I ain't gonna be beat by no goil and.."
Jes den loud voices of Elizabeth's uncle and Chet could be heard comin towards em. Scott and his friends took off before they were seen.
The two aproached da four. Dey where serprised she was still in her silks but said nothing. "Oh, Mr. Rob and Chet dese are my friends Racetrack Higgins and Jack Kelly. I hope ya don't mind dem bein hea."
"No, dats fine. As long as dey keep a secret. Nice to meet you boys. Here Elizabeth why don't da four of you go out to celebrate. Oh and change yer clothes before ya go." She gratefully took the five handed to her.
"Sure Uncle Rob, thanks."
She walked into the stall, pulled down da shudder and changed. She didn't midn Tom watchin earlier but she would've felt funny round Race and Jack. Elizabeth turned to see the grand champ munchin away on his oats.
"Well ya did great taday boy! One more race and yer goin to Kentucky!" She reopened da shutter expectin to see the guys standing out there but noone was in sight. She stuck herhead out and turned but still couldn't see them. Den, three heads popped up from under thedoor. Elizabeth screamed.
"Gosh guys! Don't scare me like dat."
"Why? La look cute when yer scared." Race said. Elizabeth blushed as she turned to open the gate.
"Here, I'll put the silks back real quick." Tom said. The three stood in silence while Jack was patting Nugget's mane.
"So how'd you guys know Tom?"
"Bout a year ago, I snuck back hea afta one of da races. I jes wanted to see wad it wes like and all. Tom found me and wes bout ta kick me out but I begged him ta let me stay. He saw I meant no harm so he changed his mind. I invited him ta lunch da next day and introduced him to Cowboy hea and we'se been pretty good friends since."
"And yer name's Jack Kelly?" I asked Cowboy.
"Yeah."
"Jack Kelly, Racetrack Higgins. Yer names sound familiar."
"Dey should, we'se newsies. Jack was our leada in dat strike dat happened last year."
"Newsies! Dats how I know ya. I saw yer pictua in da paper!" The two beamed with pride just as Tom came back.
"So I take it you found my friends are famous," he said, "I figured you'd find out sooner or later. So seein how yer payin fer dinner, where do ya wanna go?"
"Dat Tibby's place ya went to fer lunch da odda day sounds good, lets go there."
"Oh good, we can introduce ya to da rest of da Newsies." Jack brought up.
"Dey're sua ta like ya." Race chirped.
"I hope so, well guys, lets go celebrate!" Race took her left arm and Tom. Her right while Jack led da way.
"I'm home Uncle Rob!" she greeted upon seeing her Uncle sitting in his lounging chair in da parlor. Normally, she'd find him reading the New York Journal but she entered to see him staring out into space in deepcontemplation. For a minute he didn't seem to acknowledge her prescense but then he broke from his trance.
"Oh, hello Elizabeth, glad to see you're home safe. Did you have a good time with Tom and his friends?"
"I had a wonderful time! Thank you. Tom's friends are the greatest and Race was kind enough to escort me home."
"Well, he does seem like a very nice young man."
"Oh he's terrific!"
"Glad ta hear it."
"Uncle Rob, what were you thinking about befoa I came in?"
"Well, I heard Steve's fever is very severe. The State Finals are a week from now and there's no way he'd be able to ride by then. I could easily find a replacement by then but after today's outstanding performance......"
"Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thanl you!" She threw her arms around his neck. She couldn't believe he was just about to give her permission to race again.
"Now don't get too excited. I found out that some jockeys learned of your masquerade and dey seemed upset if not insulted. We're going to have to keep this a secret as much as possible. But soon, once it's discovered, you're going to be the subject of ridicule."
"I can take their tauntings, Uncle Rob."
"I know, Elizabeth, that's why I'm letting you do this."
"Oh, I'm so excited the state finals!"
"Yes, it's big. The best horses from all of New York will start coming in tomorrow. Hurricane will be the only other horse from this district."
"Hurricane, doesn't Scott Townsend ride him?"
"Yes, dats him."
"Oh goody." she thought to herself.
"Well my fine young lady, you better get to bed now seeing how you have to wake up early tomorrow."
"Ok, goodnight Uncle Rob." She planted a kiss on his cheek and went up the stairs to her room.
~
It was a good morning at da stables, well it was. Elizabeth had just brought Fury back from his training. Tom and Elizabeth were just about to go to the break room when they heard Scott, "And dis fellas is da lil masqueradess I wes telling ya about."
She turned and saw him two of da out of town jockeys. "Hi Scott," she replied cheerfully.
"Yes fellas, dis is Elizabeth Overstreet. She had her one chance in da spotlight yesterday when one of da jocks didn't show." Elizabeth was going to tell him that she was racing again but bit her lip.
"Aren't you going to indtroduce us Scott?" She asked.
"Oh right, dis is John from Albany and Victor from Syracuse."
"Nice ta meet ya. Like Scott said I'se Elizabeth and dis hea is Tom."
" Well, excuse us now we're going to get some grub." Tom said after exchanging his greetings. He didn't like da looks dey were giving Elizabeth.
When dey were out of hearing range, Elizabeth said, " thank goodness he doesn't know."
"Know wad?"
"Dat I'm racing at the State Finals." She smiled.
"You are?"
"Yep, Uncle Rob told me so last night. There's no way Steve will be better by then."
"Dats great Elizabeth! For you I mean."
"I know, I'm so excited. It's gonna be great, I don't know whad I'm gonna....."
Lata dat aftanoon, Tom took Elizabeth with him to Tibby's whea dey met up with Race, Jack, and all da odda Newsies. To deir serprise, Elizabeth remembad all deir names. Race was thrilled ta learn dat she was racing again. "I'll be in da stands rootin fer ya."
"Odds any good?" A newsies named Skittery asked.
"You bet dey are! She's gotta be one of da best!" Race said making Elizabeth blush.
"Race ya know ya don't have ta say dat jes to make me feel special."
"Hey, I don't eva say nothin i don't mean. So if i say yer one of da best yer one of da best and when I say yer gorgeous, I think yer gorgeous."
"Ok, well I'm happy to know you speak yer mind."
"So, Elizabeth..."
"Yeah?"
" I think yer gorgeous!" He grinned. Surprise filled her face, she had merely thought he'd used it as an example.
"Um, thanks Race, noone's complimented me like that before."
"Well dey must have been blind."
"Race, would ya stop it awready!" Tom begged.
"Now why should I do that?"
"Cuz we don't need Elizabeth getting all big headed befoa da finals." Elizabeth threw her napkin at him but missed and hit da back of Jack. Soon wadded napkins were flying all round da room.
~
Afta lunch, Elizabeth asked Race and Jack to come back to Sheepshead with her and Tom. Race gladly accepted but Jack had a previous engagement. At da stables, Elizabeth let Race groom Fury.
"Can't believe I'se groomin one of da fastest horses in the all of Sheepshead! Hey Elizabeth, can I ride him? Please oh please." He knelt down befoa her and put on a sad puppy face. From Nugget's stall, one could hear Tom laughing.
"Sure, Race, let's get him saddled up." Elizabeth said. Afta showing him how to put everythin on, she led him out to ring one where he mounted da stallion like any dignified jock would. In truth, Race had neva gotten on a horse befoa but he'd watched da jockeys do it all da time, so it just came naturally. Den Elizabeth told Race how to lead Fury wid his voice. He started da horse of at a trot and den built up to a gallop looking like a jock da whole time. Elizabeth loved da childish smile on Race's face. He was so full of life, so full of happiness.
By now, Tom was coming with Nugget. His jaw dropped at da sight ofhis friend in da saddle. "Is dat Race?" he asled walking ova to Elizabeth.
"Yeah, you didn't tell me he was a good rider."
"He's neva been on a horse befoa in his life!"
"Whad!?"
"Neva, God, I didn't know da guy had it in him." He walked Nugget into ring 2 and started warming her up.
"Never.." she murmured to herself just as Race stopped Fury right in front of her perch on da fence.
"Dat wes so much fun, Elizabeth, I felt so peaceful in da saddle." He looked into her eyes for a moment befoa dey both got down, Elizabeth from da fence and Race from da horse. He handed her da reins and looked at his watch, 3:45.
"Well, I gotta go meet Blink at Central Park. Thansk fer making a guy's dreams come true." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek befoa turnin ta go. Elizabeth broke out in a big grin and her heart was pounding. Instantly, she was taken to cloud 9.
"Hey you!" Tom yelled at her on one of his turns. "Snap out of it will ya!" She only grinned bigger and led Fury back to the stables.