All the newsies go to their selling spots. Rose and Crutchie go to their spot. They always sell together because they have a less chance of getting beat up if they are together. When they don't they always get beat up and might not be able to sell the next day because of it. The last time they didn't Morris got Rose. Oscar got Crutchie. They soaked so badly that they were both knocked out in ally and the boys spent all night finding them. "Fight leaving people with broken bones and death. Youse heard it right here." They are calling out. The last few people buy their papers. They see Jack, Les, and Davey and start going over to them, but then they see Snyder and run or limp the other way to the lodging house. The boys run to avoid Snyder and run into the theatre. All of them out of breath Jack huffs out "I think we lost him."
"Someone tell me why I'm running. I've got no one chasing me. Who was that guy" Davey questions.
"That there was Snyder the Spider. A real sweetie, he runs a jail for underaged kids called the Refuge. The more kids he brings in, the more the city pays out. The problem is, all the money goes straight into his own pocket. Do yourself a favor and stay clear of Snyder and the refuge, alright?"
Then Medda walks in and sees the boys
"Hey, you up there, shoo! No kids allowed in the theater!"
A few of the other people in the theatre groan about it. Then Jack talks to Medda "Not even me, Miss Medda?"
"Jack Kelly, man of mystery. Get yourself down here and give me a hug!" Jack runs down and hugs her "Where you been keeping yourself, kid?"
"Never too far from you, Miss Medda. Boys, may I present Miss Medda Larkin, the greatest star on the bowery today. She also owns the joint."
"Oh, the only thing I own is the mortgage. Pleasure, gents."
Davey replies "A pleasure. What's wrong with you?" Les has been looking at some girls in the show.
Les replies "Are you blind? She's got no clothes on!"
"That's her costume!"
"But I can see her legs!"
Medda buts in "Step out of his way so he can get a better look. Theater is not only entertaining, it's educational!"The girls blow kisses at him and giggle to the other room. "Got your picture, kid?" Les nods.
Jack goes back to talking to Medda "Miss Medda, we got a little situation on the street. You mind if we hide out here a while?"
"Where better to escape trouble than a theater? Is Snyder after you again?" Jack nods.
Les adds to conversation "Hey, Jack, did you really escape jail on the back of Teddy Roosevelt's carriage?"
Davey adds "What would the governor be doing at a juvenile jail?"
Jack answers both of them "So happens he was running for office and he wanted to show he cared about orphans and such. So while he got his mug in the pape, I got my butt in the back seat and off we rode together."
Les asks "Do you really know the governor?"
Medda buts in "He don't. But I do. Say, Jack, when you got time, I want you to paint me some more of these backdrops. This last one you did is a doozy! Folks love it! And things have been going so well I can actually pay."
Jack responded "Hey, I couldn't take your money, Miss Medda."
"You pictured that?" Les exclaimed.
"Your friend is quite an artist." Medda complements Jack
"Don't get carried away. It's a bunch of trees." He defends himself.
Davey says "You're really good!"
Medda adds to Davey "That boy's got natural aptitude."
Les gets excited and yells "Jeez. I never knew no one with an aptitude."
The stage manager walks in and yells to Medda "Miss Medda, you're on."
Medda yells backs "Oh yeah? How am I doing?" She laughs at her own joke, but no one else does "Because... I'm... Ugh, tough room. Boys, lock the door, and stay all night. You're with Medda now."
I posted early! I felt bad for not posting last week. Hope you like this chapter!
-Broadway_Nerd