Those certain newsboys

chapter three

Davey held out a paper. "Paper! Paper! Evening paper." He held it out but the man ignored him. Jack walked over. "Sing them to sleep why don't ya." He said. Hobble walked over. "You need to make it more interesting." Jack took the paper. "Watch and learn." The girl told him. "EXTRA EXTRA! Terrified flight from burning inferno!" Jack yelled. A man walking past, walked up to him paying him for a paper. "Thank you mister." Jack said tipping his hat. "You just made that up." Davey said, looking at Jack. "He did no such thing, he said he heard it here and he did." Hobble justified. Davey rolled his eyes. "My father taught us not to lie." The brown haired boy said. "Yeah? Ours taught us not to starve." Hobble scoffed. "Just sold my last paper!" Les said as he ran over happily. Davey looked at him. "I still got one left." He said, holding a paper. "Tell him to pay for it." Jack said, leaning on a beam. "Hey, give it to me." Les told his brother, taking the paper and running over to a woman who was walking by. "Buy a pape from a poor orphan boy." He said with the most pitiful face and then fake coughed into his elbow. "You poor thing." She cooed. "Of course I'll buy a newspaper. Here's a dime." She said handing him the change then taking the paper. Les stared at it, with the goofiest face she'd ever seen. Hobble laughed softly. Jack walked over placing a hand on Les's shoulder. "Born to the breed." He laughed.  "This is so much better then school!" The young boy said looking at the dime. "Don't think about it! When papa's back at work, we're back at school." Davey said. "Relax David. Let the kid live." Hobble said, placing a hand on the older boy's shoulder. He looked at her annoyed. "How bout we divy up the money, get some chow and find some place safe to stay the night?" Jack suggested. "Oh, we gotta get home; our folks will be waiting with dinner." Davey said. Hobble looked at him, her face full if sadness. "Yous got folks?" She asked, hurt ringing in her soft, timid voice. "Doesn't everyone?" Les asked innocently. Davey placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder. "Our dad tangled with a delivery truck on the job. Messed his leg up bad, so they laid him off. That why we came to find work." Davey explained as if it would make them feel better. "Makes sense." Jack said. Davey handing him the money. Hobble looked down. "Too bad about your dad." She said. "Why don't you come for dinner? Our folks would be happy to have ya." Davey said placing his hand on her shoulder. "Mom's a great cook!" Les said excitedly at the thought of them coming over

Jack looked at Hobble, seeing the sadness covering her face, hiding within her stormy eyes which threatened to rain. "Gee we'd love to, but I just remembered we have plans with the fellas. They are probably waitin' on us." He grabbed Hobble's hand, tugging her the direction of the lodging house. "Hey, Jack. Is that the guy your meetin'?" Les asked, pointing up. Jack ran back, pulling Hobble with him. "Kelly! Hobble!" The old man hissed. "Ran!" Jack said taking off running, Les following right after. Hobble limped along, trying to catch up. Davey turned around to see the girl, he ran back and picked her up. "Kelly!" They heard Snyder yell again. "Go, go, go!" Jack called back to the three Newsies.

They ran into a theater, on the catwalk. "Slow down, slow down, we lost him." Jack said breathing heavily. "Does anyone want to tell me why I'm runnin'? No one's chasing me! Who was that guy?" Davey exclaimed, gently placing Hobble on her feet. "That was Snyder the spider, a real sweetie." Hobble said looking at Davey. "He runs a jail for underage kids called the refugee. The more kids he brings in the more the city pays him. The only problem is the money goes straight into his pocket. Do yourselves a favor and stay clear of Snyder and the refugee, alright?" Jack said looking at the two boys, before walking back some. Davey and Les leaned on the railing. "Hey, you up there, shoo. No kids allowed in the theater." A voice called up. Jack and Hobble moved towards the railing. "Not even us Mrs. Medda?" Jack called down. "Jack Kelly, man of mysteries, and is that Hobble?" Mrs. Medda said placing her hands on her hips. "Yeah Mrs. Medda!" Hobble said, happily. "Get yourselves down here and give me a hug!" She said holding her arms out. Jack ran down hugging the woman. Hobble caught up a bit after, she wrapped her skinny, pale arms around the woman. "Where have you been keeping yourselves?" Mrs. Medda asked. "Never far from you Mrs. Medda." Hobble said, letting go of the woman.