Jack sighed. Another hard day of working at selling papes.
"How ya feelin' Jack?" Davey asked.
Jack slouched on the brick wall and let his hat tip over his head. "I'm okay, i'm jus worried bout dat goil...Slinks."
Davey smiled and pushed Les to go up the stairs to their apartment. "From the looks of it you don't need to worry about her."
Jack jus shook his head, "I'm not sho, shez got spunk, but maybe a lil' too much."
"Do you wanna come inside?" Davey asked pointing upstairs.
"Nah i'm all right, g'nite Dave, carryin' the banner." They shook hands "Carrying the banner." Jack watched Davey go up and he lit a cigarette. He walked off into the night, walking the cold empty streets, thinking often about Slinks. Wonder where she went? he thought.Just then he heard a loud crowd, police whistles and screams. He ran over to a once empty alley, now filled with a burning trolley, policemen, men and women fighting and yelling. "Itz da trolly strike, haha, what bummerz fightin fo dis?" Jack laughed and watched, until he heard a girl scream. He looked up and saw a girl being grabbed behind the back by a scabber. He was too strong for her and she was kicking as hard as she could, but it was no use. Jack recognized the girl, it was Slinks! "Hey!" he yelled and ran over to help her. He punched the scabber and knocked him out, dropping Slinks to the ground. She coughed and breathed heavily. Jack bent down to help her, "Slinks! Youz aight?"
she looked up at him and recognized it was Jack. She got up quickly and dusted herself off."I'm aight, jus don touch me" she said and walked away.
"What? Where youz goin?" Jack asked. Slinks turned around.
"Iz coulda handled him mahself ya knowz" she yelled.
"Iz knew ya couldn't make it hea" Jack said, she looked down. "Listen, if ya jus lemme help ya, you'll be aight, when ya a Newsie." She looked up at him and after what seemed like eternity, smiled. He smiled back. "Shall we go then?" he asked and offered Slnks his arm. She took it and they walked into the Newsboy's Lodging House together.
The Newsies were taken with surprise when Slinks and Jack walked in. "Heya bois, guess whoz hea." The Newsies murmered amongst themselves, which Jack didn't like "Hey guys, she'z one of us now, ya treat Slinks hea wit respect...Specs show her where shez sleepin'"
Specs looked up and pointed to himself. Jack nodded and Specs stumbled towards her "This way" she smiled at Specs and Specs smiled back. When they were out of the room, the Newsies all smiled and talked, soon they were all in their bunks. Jack was just getting ready to doze off when Slinks came in.
"Jack?" Slinks asked, Jack looked up "Yeah?" he said fixin his hair. "Thanks" she said quietly, Jack smiled and she left. He jumped into bed, and got ready for another day of carryin the banner.
"What? Can ya believ' dis Jack?" Kid Blink yelled. Jack and the Newsies including Slinks looked at the upset Blink. "Dey raised da price on da papes! I can barely affoid da usual papes I get each day! What are wez gonna do?"
Jack went up to Mr. Weisel's window. "What's da deal Weasel? Why dey doin dis?" Weisel just looked at him and laughed "Why not?" he said "It's a nice day." Jack moaned and punched the window.
"Whatz we gonna do now Jack" Mush asked. Jack looked around at all the guys faces, looking for an answer...he looked at Slinks who didn't show it but was really worried."Dey can't do dis ta us! Wez gotta do sumthin bout it! Davey!" Jack yelled.
Davey looked up "Yeah?" "What was dat thing wit da trolley people n da fightin n yellin n pape stuff??"
Davey looked confused then understood "The strike?" he answered.
"Yeah! Dat's it! We'll go on strike!" Jack yelled.
The Newsies all murmered "A Strike Jack?" Racetrack asked.
"Yeah, a strike!"
"But we're just a bunch of angry kids with no money, we aren't a union, they'll take us down one by one!" Davey yelled.
"Even tho we ain't got hats or badges we're a union!! It's gonna take alot n believe me, the world will know!" Jack yelled even louder. Everyone yelled and cheered. "Davey what we gotta do foist?"
Davey sat and thought, "Well, we gotta get ambassadors."
"Ok, all u guyz gotta be Embastards and tell ev'ryone bout dis and we mean it!" Jack yelled. The guys started calling out places and claims and when it came down to Brooklyn, no one answered. "All right fine then, Boots, Davey and me will go to Brooklyn, Spot Conlon's territory." Slinks looked up, "I'll go!" she yelled. The guys looked surprised. "I dunno if ya should go Slinks" Jack said. Slinks smiled. "Trust me, youz gonna need me ta go witchaz."
