Bumlets lit a cigarette as he walked the streets of Manhattan. He had just finished selling his newspapers so he was wondering what he should do with the rest of his day.
          "Hey Bumlets!"
          The newsie turned at the sound of his name. "Usually yer at th' racetrack by now."
          Race strolled up to his friend. Bumlets offered his cigarette but Racetrack refused it.
          "I figgered I'd keep my money insteada lose it."
          Bumlets chuckled as he blew out a ring of smoke. He took his staff and started to swing it in front of him like a sword.
          "How come ya won't git a cane like Spot's?" asked Race as he watched Bumlets.
          The newsie shrugged as he rested the staff on his shoulder. "Guess ‘cause I don't wanna be Spot."
          "I really wanted ta ask ya if you've seen Jack around." said Race.
          "Nope, just got done sellin'." answered Bumlets.
          Racetrack removed his cap and wiped his forehead. "He's supposed ta meet Sarah but hasn't shown."
          "Maybe he's still sellin'."
          Race slowly nodded. "Well if ya see ‘im, tell ‘im Sarah's waitin'."
          Bumlets tossed the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it. "Alright, I'll do that."
          Race turned and headed for the racetrack, Bumlets just shook his head and laughed as he resumed walking the streets until he came to Tibby's. He walked in and saw his fellow newsies, so he sat with them.
          "How was sellin' fer you'se Bumlets?" asked Mush.
          "Just finished."
          "Even wit' th' bad headline?" asked Dutchy.
          "Ever hear of improvin' th' truth?" asked Bumlets.
          The newsies laughed. That was the first thing Jack taught them.
          "Say, any a you'se guys seen Jack?" asked Bumlets.
          "Not since dis mornin', why?" said Mush.
          "Race told me Sarah's lookin' fer ‘im ‘cause der meetin' today."
          "Y'know," began Snoddy, "I git th' feelin' ‘e's avoidin' Sarah."
          All eyes turned to the newsie.
          "Why ya say dat?" asked Kid Blink.
          Snoddy sat up and answered, "If ya notice, Jack ain't wit' Sarah as much anymore."
          "Yer right, wonder why dat is." stated Snitch.
          Bumlets sat back in the booth. "Maybe Jack's found someone else or he thinks she's cheatin' on ‘im."
          Mush put a hand on the newsies' shoulder. "She seems ta ‘ave th' eye fer you'se."
          Bumlets turned and stared at Mush like he was insane. "Don't be jokin' like dat, it ain't funny."
          The other newsies crowded around the table. Dutchy leaned forward and said, "Ya mean you'se can't see it? Th' rest of us ‘ave fer a few weeks now."
          Bumlets quickly stood. "I don't like th' way yer talkin' so I'm leavin'."
          He rushed out of the restaurant and once again walked the streets of Manhattan. Why would th' guys say somethin' like dat to me? wondered Bumlets, She's Jack's goil, why'd she be interested in me?
          He started to walk up the steps of the lodging house when he noticed Sarah walking toward him. Bumlets started to say hello to her when the Delancey brothers appeared and grabbed her. The newsie gripped his staff as he ran to rescue Sarah from the two brothers. He swung the staff and hit Oscar in the back, knocking him down. He dodged between Sarah and Morris, holding his staff in front of the brother and inching back to the lodging house. He then pushed Sarah into the building and quickly closed the door behind him.
          Sara threw her arms around Bumlets and hugged him tight. "Oh thank you Bumlets, I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there."
          Bumlets' eyes grew wide as he pushed Sarah away. "Don't do dat. I ain't Jack."
          "Bumlets, you just saved me."
          "Yeah, but dat don't mean ya gotta smother me."
          She started for the newsie and he quickly backed away. "Now hold it Sarah! I'se just doin' Jack a favor. Yer ‘is goil."
          The doors swung open and in walked Jack. "Sarah, I've been waitin' fer ya in Central Park fer two hours."
          "Race told me ya couldn't find ‘im." said Bumlets.
          The young girl glanced at both newsies and then left without a word.
          "Wonder what her problem is." said Jack.
          Bumlets leaned against the registration desk. "Th' Delancey's went afta ‘er again."
          Jack spun around and stared at the newsie. "What? How kin ya say dat so calm-like?"
          Bumlets shrugged. "She was comin' ‘ere an' dey grabbed ‘er, so I took care of ‘em."
          Jack sat down on the stairs and buried his face in his hands.
          "Say Jack," said Bumlets as he took another cigarette from his pocket, "da guys told me somethin' dats botherin' me."
          "What's dat?" asked Jack, not moving.
          "Dey said Sarah's afta me an' not you'se. Now personally I don't see it, but is dat why yer avoidin' ‘er and sometimes me?"
          Jack jerked his head up. "Th' guys said dat?"
          Bumlets nodded at he lit the second cigarette.
          "Wonder why they'd say dat." said Jack.
          Mush and Dutchy walked into the lodging house. When they saw Jack they stopped as their smiles faded. Jack stood and grabbed Mush's shoulder. "What's dis ‘bout Sarah ‘n' Bumlets?" he asked while tightening his grip.
          "Look Cowboy," said Mush, wincing at the pain, ‘if ‘e's not in th' room she's sad but when he appears she's gushin'."
          Bumlets threw his hat down. "Dang I shoulda seen it b'fore!"
          "What's dat Bumlets?" asked Dutchy.
          The newsie pushed his raven-black hair back out of his eyes. "She tried ta smother me when I brought ‘er in ‘ere."
          Jack released Mush. "Whatja do?"
          Bumlets put his hands up. "Hey Jack, we've been friends long enough I don't want a goil bustin' us up. I pushed ‘er away."
          Jack glared at Bumlets. "Why'dja do dat?"
          "Two reasons," answered Bumlets, "she's yer goil an' she ain't my type."
          Jack Kelly started for the newsie but Mush and Dutchy stopped him.
          "Y'know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna leave fer a while till ya cool off."
          Bumlets picked up his hat and quickly left the lodging house. He walked through the streets of Manhattan to the Brooklyn Bridge, thinking Spot would let him stay there for a while.
          "Whatcha doin' in Brooklyn Bumlets?" asked a tall and tough-looking newsie.
          "Somethin's rotten in Manhattan, an' her name's Sarah."
          The newsie laughed. "Yer th' one she's afta huh?"
          "Yeah, don't remind me. Dats th' reason I can't stay wit' Jack."
          The newsie walked with Bumlets to the docks where the other Brooklyn Boys sat around doing nothing.
          "Hey Spot," called Bumlets when he noticed the Brooklyn newsie, "kin I stay wit' you'se?"
          Spot Conlon jumped off the crate he was sitting on. "Tired of Jack's attitude?"
          "No, his goil." snapped the Manhattan newsie.
          "Yer tough enough I guess. Sure, you'se kin be a Brooklyn newsie."
          The tall newsie shook Bumlets' hand and said, "Welcome ta Brooklyn."

          Bumlets walked around Brooklyn yelling the headlines at the top of his lungs. He sold all fifty of his newspapers in an hour, and so he made his way to the dock to see if any of the other Brooklyn Boys were there.
          "Excuse me, newsboy."
          Bumlets turned and saw the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen. "Yeah ma'am? What's up?"
          "I seem to be lost. Where is the statue of Horace Greeley?"
          The newsie removed his cap. "Gee ma'am, dats in Manhattan. Dis is Brooklyn. Mind if I take ya?"
          She shook her head. "Not at all. That would be helpful."
          Bumlets took her suitcase and led her to Manhattan. "Ya visitin' New Yawk?"
          "I'm from out west, but I wanted a change of scene." she answered.
          "Ya sound like Jack Kelly."
          She laughed. "I should, I'm his sister."
          Bumlets stopped dead in his tracks. "He said nothin' ‘bout a sister."
          "Doesn't surprise me. We never really got along."
          The newsie started started walking again as he said, "Sounds like me ‘n' ‘im yesterday."
          "What happened?" she asked.
          "He thinks I'm afta ‘is goil who bugs th' heck outta me."
          The young lady sighed. "That sounds like Jack, jumping to conclusions."
          Bumlets took his staff and ran it across the rails on the bridge until they entered Manhattan.
          "How do you know Jack?"
          "He turned to the young woman and answered, "I'se a Manhattan newsie till yesterday. "I'm Bumlets."
          "Well Bumlets, I'm Beth."
          He chuckled. "Like da story ‘Little Women'?"
          "Yes as a matter of fact. Mother said she wanted to name Jack Laurie, but Father said no."
          The walked up to the statue and saw Jack waiting. "Hey Beth, I notice ya met Bumlets."
          The newsie handed Jack his sister's suitcase, then started back for Brooklyn.
          "Thank you for helping me Bumlets." Beth called.

          Bumlets' thoughts poured like the rain. He couldn't believe that the girl he thinks is the most beautiful he's ever seen is the sister of Jack Kelly, the newsie he wasn't getting along with. He also thought that he should forget ever meeting Beth because as long as he and Jack were fighting she would be in the middle of all that.
          "Hey Bumlets, ya know it's rainin'?"
          The newsie jumped. "Yeah Spot, I know."
          "Ya also know yer soaked?"
          Bumlets stood and walked into the warehouse where the Brooklyn Boys stayed. He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
          "Ya still thinkin' ‘bout dat goil?" asked Spot.
          "Shows real bad huh?"
          Spot slapped Bumlets on the back and laughed. "You've been slow ta everythin' since ya met ‘er. What not go an' see ‘er again?"
          Bumlets sat on a nearby crate and finished smoking the cigarette. "She's Cowboy's sister."
          "So what if she is? Ya like ‘er doncha?"
          Bumlets removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. "I only met ‘er once y'know."
          Spot stood next to Bumlets. "An look what it's doin' to ya. Go to Manhattan an' find ‘er."
          Bumlets drew circles in the dirt with his staff, smoke from his cigarette swirling over his head. The doors to the warehouse burst open, causing the two newsies to jump. Beth stood in front of them, her hair clinging to her face and neck, her clothes dripping from the rain.
          "Beth! What're ya doin' ‘ere?" asked Bumlets, surprised to see her.
          "I'll be seein' ya Bumlets." said Spot as he the two.
          "I don't mean to bother you," said Beth, "but I had to see you again."
          Bumlets stood and went to her. "Why, somethin' wrong?"
          She shook her head, spraying drops of water on the newsie. "No, I just wanted to see you."
          Bumlets wiped his face with his sleeve. "Thought maybe Jack's in trouble ‘r' somethin'."
          "He's too busy with Sarah."
          "So what's with burstin' in if ya just wanted ta see me?"
          Beth looked down at her dress and saw what a mess it was. "I don't really know why, if that makes any sense."
          Bumlets hesitantly took her hand. "Well, I've been thinkin' a you'se ever since we met."
          Beth looked into his eyes. "The other newsies miss you. They're always talking about you."
          Bumlets turned away. "Yeah, I kinda miss dem too. But I ain't goin' back as long as Jack ‘n' Sarah're together."
          "What does Brooklyn have to offer?" she asked.
          "Don't hafta dodge da Delancey's an' Sarah ain't ‘ere."
          Beth grabbed his hand. "Why don't you try talking to Jack?"
          "Ya think he'll listen? I'se just helpin' ‘im by savin' ‘er an' he tries ta soak me."
          "I know how stubborn he can be, but the other newsies miss you."
          Bumlets turned to her and drew her close. "Is dis why ya came? Ta talk me inta comin' back ta Manhattan?"
          "I thought it would be better if we were there together."
          Bumlets backed away. "I can't leave Brooklyn. Der's more fer me ‘ere."
          Beth looked disappointed. "Will you at least come to visit?"
          Bumlets shrugged. "Guess I could."
          She smiled as she headed for the door. The newsie rushed to her and took her hand.
          "What is it?" she asked.
          "Yer goin' back in dis rain?"
          "Yes, why?"
          "I'll go wit' you'se, make sure ya git der alright."
          Bumlets opened the door and the two stepped out in the pouring rain. They quickly walked across the bridge to Manhattan and then ran the rest of the way to the lodging house. When they entered the building the newsies stopped what they were doing.
          "Hey Bumlets. How's Brooklyn?" asked Itey.
          "Good since Sarah ain't der." replied Bumlets.
          Racetrack stood. "So that's why ya left. We kinda figgered dat."
          "Didja send Beth ta bring me ‘ere?" asked Bumlets.
          Kid Blink laughed. "Worked real good too ‘cause yer ‘ere."
          Beth went up to Kid and playfully slapped him. "That's not true and you know it."
          Racetrack started to shuffle a deck of cards as Bumlets sat down next to him. "Guess I could stay fer one game."
          The newsies and Beth crowded around the table and watched the game. In the middle of it, the lodging house doors swung open, Jack and Sarah stepped in.
          "Pretty wet out der." said Jack.
          Sarah chuckled and turned to see Bumlets. He glanced at her, threw his cards on the table, and stood to leave.
          "Bumlets, how nice to see you again." exclaimed Sarah.
          The now Brooklyn Boy quickly went to the door and said, "How many times ya say dat ta Jack?"
          Sarah was taken aback by his comment, not knowing how to react. She looked at Jack, who was glaring at Bumlets.
          "Is dat how ya talk to a lady?"
          "Just dat one." replied Bumlets.
          Beth quickly went to her brother and slipped her hand in his. "Jack, please don't start anything."
          Jack's grip tightened on his sister's hand. "Alright Beth, fer you'se."
          Bumlets took the opportunity and rushed out of his old home into the rain. He rushed to the warehouse where the Brooklyn newsies were sitting around playing cards.
          "Hey Bumlets, how's yer time wit' da goil?" asked Spot.
          Bumlets sat down. "I never want ta go back ta Manhattan."

          Beth leaned against the registration desk as she stared at her brother. "What has gotten into you?"
          Jack turned away. "He didn't need ta say dat ta Sarah."
          "Are you blind Jack?"
          He spun around and grabbed Beth. "Whatcha mean by dat?"
          She glared at him. "You're the only one that can't see Sarah is after Bumlets."
          Jack let go of Beth and stared at her. He turned his back on her, running his fingers through his hair. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Jack, he is trying to save your friendship by staying away."
          Jack put his hands on Beth's and sighed. "Guess I should talk to ‘im."
          Beth turned him around and said, "As long as you're with Sarah he's going to stay in Brooklyn."
          "So I gotta choose."
          Beth nodded. Jack hugged her and then went up to bed.

          "Yer makin' dis harder den it is."
          "Spot, dis is difficult fer me."
          Bumlets explained what had happened in Manhattan to Spot.
          "It's difficult ‘cause yer keepin' yerself from gettin' close ta Beth."
          Bumlets leaned back against the wall. "It's a matter a Brooklyn verses Manhattan."
          Spot scratched his head. "How's dat?"
          "Manhattan's got Sarah ‘n' th' Delancey brudders ta dodge. Here I don't worry ‘bout dem."
          Spot lit a cigarette. "But yer friends ‘n' Beth're in Manhattan, not ‘ere."
          Bumlets removed his hat and wiped his forehead. "See what I mean? Difficult."
          "What if Jack ‘n' Sarah broke up?" asked Spot.
          "Den I'd feel bad ‘cause dey busted cause'a me." answered Bumlets as he pulled out a cigarette.
          The warehouse doors opened and in walked Jack, Racetrack, and Kid Blink.
          "Hey Jacky-boy, what're ya doin' ‘ere?" asked Spot.
          "Gotta talk ta Bumlets."
          "I'se ‘here, say whatcha need ta." said Bumlets as he lit the cigarette.
          Jack stood in front of his friend, with Race and Kid behind him. "My sister tells me yer ‘ere ‘cause ya want ta save our friendship."
          Bumlets stood, blowing smoke in Jack's face. "Nope, ta stay away from Sarah, an' also th' Delancey's."
          Jack coughed from the smoke. "What about Beth?"
          "Don't be usin' ‘er like dat!" exclaimed Bumlets.
          Spot pushed his cane into Bumlets's chest. "Yer in Brooklyn, but yer heart's in Manhattan."
          The anger in Bumlets' eyes settled. He knew Spot was right, Beth was always on his mind since they met, but for some reason he couldn't leave Brooklyn.
          "Beth loves ya, but I ain't gonna let ‘er go back ‘n' forth." said Jack.
          "Admit it Bumlets, Brooklyn ain't yer home." said Racetrack.
          Bumlets put his hands over his ears. "I ain't hearin' dis!"
          Spot turned to Jack. "Ain't der somethin' you'se kin do 'bout Sarah?"
          Jack glared at Spot but said, "Guess if Bumlets came back ta Manhattan--"
          "I'm staying in Brooklyn Jack."
          "Why?" asked Kid Blink.
          "What're ya runnin' from Bumlets?" asked Race.
          Bumlets stormed out of the warehouse, leaving the others in shock. None of them had seen him act this way.
          He slowly walked across the bridge until he saw Sarah, in which case he started back to Brooklyn.
          "Bumlets, please listen to what I have to say!"
          The newsie turned and waited for her to catch up to him. "What?"
          "Look, I know I have come between you and Jack because of--my feelings for you."
          "What of it?"
          "I know you like his sister, and she really wants you to come back, as well as the other newsies."
          "What's yer point?"
          Sarah sighed. "Jack has been worried about you more that I have. Your friendship with him is stronger than my relationship with him."
          "So yer sayin' dat if I come back, you'll back off an' leave me alone?" asked Bumlets.
          Sarah nodded. "I'll try not to come between you and Jack again."
          Bumlets ran his fingers throug his hair. "I still don't know."
          "What does Brooklyn have to offer?"
          Bumlets turned to Sarah, then laughed. "Alright. For--Beth, I'll return to Manhattan."