Those certain newsboys

chapter eight

Hobble limped up to the World New paper selling yard, she saw Jack, Davey, Les and Race. "Mornin' boys." She said. "Mornin' Hob." Jack replied, looking over. Davey was pacing back and forth. "Is anyone else comin'?" He asked. "I got no clue." Jack said leaning on the bars. "You did see Spot Conlon right? What'd he say?" Race asked. "Sure we saw him." Jack replied harshly. "Jack. Play nice." Hobble said, that was basically her catch phrase by now. "Him and about 20 of his gang." Davey continued. "And 'em Brooklyn boys sure are big." Les added on. Hobble cracked a smile at that. "And I gotta say, Spot was pretty impressed, wasn't he?" Jack asked turning to Davey. "I'd say." The other boy replied. Hobble felt hope start to fill her. "So are they with us?" Hobble asked him, bubbling with excitement. "Well that all depends on how you look at it. If you look and see Brooklyn, then they're with us."Davey told Race, Hobble huffed in amusement. "They want proof that we're not goin' to fold at the first sight of trouble." Jack said, looking over at the others. Finch walked up at this moment. "Are we?" The red haired boy asked. "No we're not! There's us, we got Harlem-" Jack was cut off. "Not so fast, boss, Harlem wants to know what Brooklyn's doin'" Mush said running up to the boys and girl. More Newsies started to gather. "What 'bout Queens?" Jack asked, looking to the boys for reassurance. "Hey, Queens'll be right here, backing us up." Specs said his arms around Davey and Hobble. Everyone sighed in relief. "Right after we get the nod from Brooklyn." Everyone groaned, some shooting glares at Specs. "I got the same fish eye in Midtown." Race said in disappointment.

"Oh, hey, Oscar." Hobble said looking to the Delaney brother. He looked at her a slight smirk on his lips. "Looks like it was bum information we got about a strike happening here today. Not that I'm complaining, my skull-busting arm could use a day of rest." Oscar said, opening the gate. Hobble rolled her eyes. Oscar snaked his arm around Hobble's waist, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Just ditch them and come with me. You'll be treated like a queen." He whispered his hot breath fanning her face. "I'd rather be a rat then be with you." She sassed back at him. "Are we doin' the right thing?" Les asked. Hobble moved over to JoJo, hiding behind him some, shielding herself from the Delaney brothers. "Sure we are." Davey reasureed his brother. "Maybe we should put this off a couple days." Race said, his voice shaking. Hobble looked over at him. "No, we can't put this off." She said, placing a hand on his arm. She turned to Jack. "Say something! Tell them if we back off now they will never listen to us again." She pleaded to him.

"Hey, we can't back down now, alright, no matter who does or doesn't show, now is when we take a stand." Jack said. "How about we just don't show up for work? That will send the message." Finch said, hopefully that his idea will be agreed to. "They'll just replace us!" Hobble told the boy. "They need to see us take a stand! Davey, you tell them." Jack said, turning to the brunette.

" Now is the time to seize the day
Stare down the odds and seize the day."

Davey sang, gripping onto Finch's shoulder. He looked at the other Newsies

" Minute by minute that's how you win it
We will find a way
But let us seize the day."

"Hey, Jack! Look what I made!" Crutchie said excitedly as he 'ran' in. He held up his crutch showing a sign that said strike on it. "That's really good!" Race told the boy. He turned to the other Newsies. "That's pathetic." He whispered. "What? I liked it." JoJo said. "Don't be so quick to judge. Maybe Pulitzer will see it and feel sorry for us." Les said in a small voice. Hobble rubbed a hand over her face. "Be more confident. Where's my boys? Huh? Where is my strong, confident boys?" She asked, her arms crossed over her chest. Some boys hung their heads down. "Hey, Specs. Any sign of reinforcements?" Jack called up to the boy not showing that he heard Hobble. The boy in question looked around before giving Jack a thumbs down.