The doors to the newsboy lodging house swung open, startling Jack Kelly and Kloppman. A girl in her late teens, dressed like a newsie, walked up to them.

"Can I help you Miss?" asked Kloppman.

She leaned against the registration desk. "I need a place ta stay."

"Dis is newsboy, not newsgirl. Can't you read?" asked Jack.

"I'm askin' fer a room away from th' guys." stated the girl.
Kloppman opened his leather-bound book and checked through it. "Turns out we have an opening here. If you will just sign here."

Kloppman handed her the book and a pencil. She signed her name and gave the book back to the lodging house owner. She then looked at Jack and smiled. "Guess yer stuck wit' me now."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Don't expect me ta save you from th' tougher newsies."

"Ya look like ya can't even save yerself." she said with a smile.

"Jack, could you show her the extra room upstairs when you're done flirting?"

Jack pushed away from the desk and stomped up the stairs, the young girl following close behind.

"So who're you anyway?" she asked.

"Like ya don't know Jack Kelly, leadah of th' Manhattan newsies."

"Oh, now I'm disappointed."

Jack gripped the doorknob until his knuckles turned white. "An' what's yer name Sweetheart?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Princess."

Jack opened the door and Princess entered her new room. He watched as she walked into the room and looked around, there was something familiar about her, but he couldn't think of when or where he could have seen her before.

"Ya hungry? ‘Cause I'm goin' ta Tibby's, thought maybe you'd like ta come."

"Why?"

Jack smiled. "May as well meet th' udder guys yer gonna live wit'."

Princess shook her head and smiled. "Well find den, let's go."

She rushed downstairs and waited for Jack to catch up. He exited the lodging house and found her sitting on the steps with her arms crossed. "Took ya long enough."

"You keep treating me like dis way an' I may start ta hate ‘cha."

They walked to the diner and joined the other newsies. When the boys saw Princess, confusion was on every one of their faces.

"What, you'se guys never seen a goil b'fore?" asked Princess as she sat next to Snitch.

"Dis here's Princess," said Jack, "she's stayin' wit' us."

All eyes turned to Princess. She turned to Snitch with a knitted brow. "Is der somethin' ya wanna say?"

Snitch just shook his head. Swifty, who was sitting across from Princess, extended his hand. "I'm Swifty, an' dat's Snitch."

Princess gripped his hand and shook it. "Glad ta see someone's interested in meetin' me."

Racetrack pulled out some cards and started to shuffle them. "Ya ever play poker Princess?"

"Yer luck fadin' at the tracks?"she asked.

Race laughed. "I kin tell we're gonna be good friends."

"How'd you know he went to th' tracks?" asked Dutchy.

Princess stared at the blonde newsie. "You kiddin'? Who doesn't know Racetrack Higgins?"

Race quickly stood and shook Princess' hand. "Yer now me new best friend."

"Hey Race, git back in th' game," said Skittery, "I'm close ta winnin'."

Snitch finally found his voice and asked, "How come yer stayin' wit' us?"

"Yer's is th' first lodgin' house fer newsies I saw." answered Princess.

The newsboys started to leave the diner one by one. Princess walked out with Racetrack and Kid Blink, unlike the others, they didn't go to the lodging house. Instead they stood in front of The World distribution gate.

"Why here?" asked Princess.

"Der's these two guys, Oscar ‘n' Morris, an' everyday at dis time dey leave woik." explained Race.

"An' everyday at dis time we trick ‘em. Never fails." added Kid Blink.

"Yeah, so play along." said Race.

Princess stared at the two in puzzlement as the gates opened and out stepped Oscar and Morris. One look at Kid and Race, the two started to run away, but the newsies were quick to grab them.

"Hiya boys," said Race, "long time no see."

"Not long enough." said Oscar.

"Ya make it sound like we ain't friends." said Kid.

"An' here we thought you'd like ta have our friend Princess here woik wit' you'se." said Race.

The two brothers looked over at Princess and started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" asked Princess.

"Us? Woik wit' dat street rat?" said Morris between breaths.

"Whatja call me?"

Race and Kid Blink backed away. "One thing we fergot ta mention is Princess is stronger den Jack, and very sensitive."

The two brothers stopped laughing and stared at Princess. She took one step toward them and they were off like a shot. Race and Kid were on the ground laughing hysterically.

"Ya don't have money fer papes?"

"I'll git ‘em."

Jack sighed as he and the newsies walked to the distribution center. He collected his papers, then Race, and after him came Princess.

"Who the heck're you?" asked Weasel.

"Yeah, happy ta see you'se too." she said.

"You gonna pay fer papes, or leave."

Princess leaned closer. "I was hopin' not ta say anythin' but I'm woikin' undercover fer th' cops."

Weasel rolled his eyes. "Yeah right."

"Ya want me ta git th' chief of police? He ain' happy ta be bothered ‘bout dis kind of thing."

"Hundred papes for this newsgirl."

"Yer too kind."

Princess gathered up her newspapers and smiled triumphantly at Jack. She walked over to Specs and Kid Blink as they waited for the others. "Ya mind if I sell wit' you'se?"

"‘Course not." said Kid.

"Yeah, could be fun." added Specs.

The trio left the distribution center to start work selling papers to the people of Manhattan.

"Extra, extra! Murder in Central Park!" exclaimed Kid Blink.

Princess burst out laughing. Specs stared at her and said, "Ya think you could do bettah?"

She pushed past the two newsies and said, "Killer escapes police in Central Park murder case!"

People crowded around the newsgirl, who sold half of her papers in fifteen minutes. She walked up to Specs and Kid. "Dat's how it's done."

"Alright," said Kid, "try dat again."

Princess shrugged her shoulders. "Ok." She turned and said, "Vaudeville dancer vanishes, lover suspected!"

Another crowd formed around Princess and she sold the rest of her papers.

"Alright, what's the real headline fer dat one?" Specs asked Kid.

Kid Blink looked through one of his papers and found VAUDEVILLE DANCER DISAPPEARS IN MAGIC SHOW

The two newsies looked at each other. "Dis talks about th' first dancer in a magic show." said Kid.

Princess strolled up to them, putting an arm around each. "Well boys, its been fun, but I gotta be goin'."

Princess sat alone at Tibby's. She thought about her past, how she had escaped the Refuge and had promised her best friend Ten-Pin that she'd join Jack Kelly and his newsies.

"Hey Princess, you ok?"

She looked up and saw Race. "Yeah, just thinkin'."

The newsie sat next to her. "Yer here early, an' where's Specs ‘n' Kid?"

"Still sellin' I bet."

Race laughed. "Havin' fun as a newsie yet?"

"Ain't had any fun yet."

Race scratched his head as he sat back in his chair. "Don't know how ta fix dat."

Skittery walked in at that moment. Princess leaned into Race and said, "Watch dis."

She stood and grabbed Skittery's arm. "Hey der Skit, I'm wonderin' if you'se could help me."

"Sure Princess."

She grabbed his suspenders, pulled them back and let go quickly, causing Skittery to yelp. She turned to Race and said, "See Race? Dat's why goils don't wear suspenders. If dat were me it'd be more painful."

Racetrack was laughing so hard tears were rolling down his cheeks. Skittery was rubbing his chest as he mumbled, "Glad ta help."

The newsies got ready for bed as Jack entered to bunk room. He looked over at Skittery and stared quizzically at him. Skittery saw and looked down, his chest was still red. "Don't ask."

Jack crawled up in his bunk and heaved a sigh.

"What's up Cowboy?" asked Snitch.

"I just remembered where I saw Princess before she came here."

Every newsie stopped and listened to Jack as he explained. "When I was in the Refuge I met Princess, she went by Elsa then. Back den we were pals, but after I ‘scaped I fergot ‘bout her," Jack turned away from the newsies, "She don't remember me, and it hurts in th' woist way."

"Cowboy, she does remember you." said Kid.

"How's dat?" he asked.

"She acts like you'se in every way, shape ‘n' form."

"Yeah, an' last night she told Blink ‘n' me dat she kinda looks up to ya." said Race.

Jack looked at his friends. Mush walked up to him and said, "Looks ta me like she sees ya as a hero."

"She even improved th' truth today when we were sellin'." said Specs.

"Jack, she's rememberin' you in her own way." said Swifty.

The Manhattan leader sat up in his bunk and shook his head. "Guess I'm just easily hurt over nuttin'."

"Yeah, but we're used to it." said Skittery, causing the others to laugh.

Skittery sold with Princess and found it to be most amusing. "Yer as good as Jack."

"Yeah, I know." she said with a grin."

Skittery put an arm around her as they walked the streets. They greeted other newsies that were still trying to sell their papers. When they reached Central Park, Skittery sat down on a bench with Princess. "Can I ask ya somethin'?"

"Sure Skit, what's up?"

"Ya ever think of bein' someone's goil?"

She looked at Skittery lovingly. "Look Skit, I like you'se ‘n' everythin', but I'm lookin' fer just friends right now."

Skittery smiled. "Once ya git someadose, what's next?"

"I'll consider findin' someone ta be my guy."

Skittery sat back as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "When'll dat be?"

Princess grinned. "You'll be da foist ta know."