"Ya eva been ta Brooklyn before Boots?" Jack asked while walking along the Brooklyn Bridge with Boots, Davey and Slinks.
"I spent the night there once." Boots answered and they both yelled down into the long drop from the bridge to the water.
"Geez, will ya twos shaddup? You guys are really embarassin me." Slinks said and walked off towards the pier. The guys looked at each other and made a sour face. They followed Slinks towards the pier, she sure knew her way around the place. Soon they approached some newsies swimming in the river and jumping off the pier. One newsie got up out of the water and walked up to Slinks. The guys started to step forward to help Slinks but were taken aback when he started to talk to her.
"Where ya been Slinks?" the guy said and spit-shook her hand.
"Not hea Buttons" she said and laughed. The guys were astounded, they knew each other!
"Things haven't been da same wit out ya" Buttons said and Slinks put her head down.
"Ya knew I couldn't stay suga." Buttons put his head down too and she playfully punched him in the stomach. He looked up and laughed, "Hey ya seen Spot?" Slinks asked and Buttons smiled.
"Oh, so ya came ta see Spot eh? I'm sho he'd be happy ta see ya."
Slinks face fell, "Right, jus like he was happy wit Bella...why d'ya think I left hea?" Button's face showed he was sorry until he looked up and saw Jack and the rest of 'em. Slinks looked back and looked at Buttons. "Jus let em go" Slinks said pleadingly and Buttons pointed down towards the docks. "Thanks doll" Slinks said and kissed Buttons on the cheek and Slinks let the guys go past. Jack throws her a "i-really-need-to-talk-to-you" look and walked down to where Spot was. The guys walked down but Slinks stayed up with Buttons, cautiously watching.
"Well if it ain't Jack be nimble, Jack be quick" Spot said, twirling his cane.
Jack smiled "Heya Spot," they spit-shook. "I've been hearin' things from lil' boides Jacky-boy, Jack-boys newsies is playin like dey goin' on strike."
Jack smiled. "Well we are" he said.
"So how'd ya find me Jacky-boy?" Spot asked.
"From one of ya friends, i guess," Jack looked up and pointed at Slinks. Slinks looked tense and stepped back.
Spot looked up and his eyes grew wide, "Slinks?" he said. Jack looked at Spot and stared, "Ya know her?" he asked.
"KNEW her" Spot answered still staring at her. But, there was something different about him Jack noticed, for a second, he thought his eyes sparkled. But that moment was long gone when Spot shook his head and finally snapped out of it, "Like I said Jacky-boy, come back ta me when ya really serious," Spot said hitting Jack in the chest with his cane "come back when ya got what it takes ta win."
Davey looked at Boots and and mouthed, "Did he say that?" Boots just shook his head to kindly tell him to shut up. With that, Jack, Davey, Boots and Slinks left Brooklyn.
After Davey went home and Boots walked over to the local candy store, Jack and Slinks walked home. All was silent until Jack broke it, "Ya really got sum explain ta do Slinks."
Slinks looked up at Jack, "Like what? I figya dats nun of ya bizness." Jack got angry, "Well I figya it iz mah bizness if yas gonna be a newsie." Slinks face grew solemn.
"Who said any thing bout dis havin ta be bout da newsies?" Slinks asked.
"I say it iz." Jack answered. There was a long moment of silence and Slinks slid away on the sidewalk and sat down. Jack walked up to her and looked down on her, "Ya have a way of squeezin ya way outta things."
Slinks tear-striken face looked up at Jack, "Why d'ya think dey call me Slinks?" Jack sat down next to her.
"Who's dey?" he asked.
"Brooklyn, mah home sweet home...well it used ta be." Slinks said, "I was young when I went ta Brooklyn, I was able ta loin da trade of sellin papes...I was a Newsie." Jack looked and listened to her intently. "Spot taught me everything I know...dat's why most people say I act like him, I guess datz why we gots togetha." Jack was surprised, this girl was once with Spot Conlon. "Things were great until da scabbas came, things were said that neva happened, word got round dat I was playin Spot for some scabba, which I wasn't, and Spot believed evry woid of it." Slinks face grew sad and she sniffed a little, "We broke apart and he got wit some otha goil, Bella was her name...a real beaut...but she had da woist repyatation, I couldn't stand ta see dem togetha...so I left for Manhatten...n dats how I got hea...n things were neva da same between us." Slinks remained quiet and put her head in her arms.
Jack put his arm around her. "Ahhh I'm sorry doll-face, don't worry bout it." Jack said, "My folks are still in Santa Fe, dey gonna come n get me when dey find a place for us ta live."
Slinks looked up and smiled, "I really need ta find myself a Santa Fe too."