We were all outside, looking for a good headline but we found out they jacked up the price
"They jacked up the price, Did you hear that Jack? Ten cents a hundred. You know what, it's bad enough that we gotta eat what we don't sell. Now they Jacked up the price. Can you believe that?" Kid Blink complained
"This will bust me" Skittery said "I'm barely making a living right now"
"I'll be back sleeping on the streets" Boots said and sat on the steps
"It don't make no sense. I mean all the money Pulitzer's making... why would he cough us?" Mush asked
"Cause he's a tightwad, that's why" Race said annoyed
I turn my head and saw Stephany walking around the streets. I made a small noise and waved. She turned her head and waved back with a smile. She sat down on a bench and started reading a book... beautiful
"So, why the jack-up weasel?" Jack asked
"Why not?" Weasel tested the wind "It's a nice day"
The Delancey brothers laughed at us
"They can't do this to me Jack" Kid Blink said
"They can do whatever they want, it's there stinking paper" Race said and I didn't disagree
Jack sat down next to boots
"Come on, it's a rigged deck. They got
All the marbles, okay?" Race said
"Jack, we got no choice. So let's get our lousy papes while they still got some" Mush tried to go get papers but Jack stopped him
"No. Nobody's going anywhere"
Stephany looked up at the scene and made her way over. She stood at the gate "What's a matter?"
"They jacked up the price. That's what" Race said in a very annoyed tone
"Jack here isn't letting us get papes" Mush said
Steph walked up to us "Well I think you should give him some room to think instead of just crowding around him"
The boys reluctantly backed up, it's like she had a power over them, and boy did I like that
She looked up and smiled at me and went to stand next to me
"Jack, you don't thinking yet?" Race asked him after like ten seconds
"Hey hey hey! World employees only on this side of the gate!" Weasel yelled
Steph rolled her eyes and I grabbed her hand. She was a bit shocked but she held a slight grip on my hand
"Well listen, one this for sure. If we don't sell papes, then nobody sells papes" Jack said "Nobody comes through those gates till they put the price back where it was"
"What do you mean, like a strike?" I joked around
"Yeah like a strike" Jack agreed
Steph looked at me with worried eyes and I had the same expression on my face. We both walked down, letting go of each others hand and me missing the warmth, and I leaned down to Jack's face while Steph stood beside me
"Jack I was just joking" I said "we can't strike. We don't have a union"
"Yeah but, if we go on strike, then we are a union, right?" Jack asked me
"No we're just a bunch of angry kids with no money" I said "Maybe if we got every newsie in New York, but..."
"Yeah well we organize. Crutchie, you take up collection" Jack said
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"Swell" Crutchie walked around the newsies here
"Jack this isn't a joke" I said "You saw what happened to those trolley workers"
"Yeah well, that's another good idea. Any newsie don't join with us, then we bust their heads like the trolley workers" Jack said proudly
Me and Steph walked on either side of Jack. Steph put a hand on Jack's shoulder "Stop and think about this, Jack"
"What?"
"You cant Just rush everybody into this" I said
"Alright, let me think about it" He said and backed up right in-front of a statue "Listen, Dave's right. I mean, Pulitzer and Hearst and all them other rich fellas, I mean they own this city. So do we really think a bunch of street rats like us can make any difference? The choice has gotta be yours. Are we just gonna take what they give us or are we gonna strike?"
"Strike!" Les yelled
I quickly covered Les's mouth with my free hand
"Keep talking Jack. Tell us what to do." Boots said
"Will you tell us what to do Dave?" Jack walked up to me
"Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect our rights." I said
"Hey listen!" Jack shouted "Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect the rights of the working boys of New York"
The boys all cheered and Jack asked for more
"Tell them that they can't treat us like we don't exist."
Jack got up onto the base of the statue. We all looked at him
Jack: Pulitzer and Hearst they think we're nothing! Are we nothing?
Newsies: No!
"If we stick together like the trolley workers then they can't break us up" I said. Steph proudly smiled at me and I winked at her
Jack: Pulitzer and Hearst they think they got us. Do they got us?
Newsies; No!
"We're a union now, the newsboys union. We have to start acting like a union" I said
Jack: Even though we ain't got hats or badges we're a union just by saying so and the world will know!
"What's to stop someone else from selling our papes?" Boots asked Jack
"We'll talk with them" Jack answered
"Some of the me don't hear si good" Race said
"Well then we'll soak them!" Jack shouted
"No! We can't beat up kids in the street, it'll give us a bad name" I said, concerned
Jack: what's it gonna take to stop the wagons? Are we ready?
Newsies: Yeah!
"No!" I yelled. Steph rubbed my shoulder, still looking up at Jack
Jack: what's it gonna take to stop the Scabbers? Can we do it?
Newsies: yeah!
Jack: w'ell do what we gotta do until we break the will of mighty Bill and Joe
All: And the world will know! And the journal too!
Mr. Hearst and Pulitzer have we got news for you
Now the work will hear
What we gotta say
We've been hawking headlines but we're makin em today
And our ranks will grow
Crutchie: and we'll kick their rear
All: and the world will know that we've been here
Jack jumped down from the statue and I still wasn't fully on board. Steph was joining us which I thought was nice
Jack: when the circulation bell starts ringing, will we hear it?
Newsies: No!
Jack: what if the Delanceys come out swinging? Will we hear it?
Newsies: No!
All: when you got a hundred voices singing who can hear a lousy whistle blow?
And the world will know that this ain't no game
That we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim
So they gave their word, but it ain't worth beans
Now their gonna see what stop the presses really means
And the day has come
And the time is now and the fear is gone
Boots: and their name is mud
All: and the strike is on
Boots: and I can't stand blood
All: and the world will..
Jack: Pulitzer may own the world but he don't own us
Newsies: Pulitzer may own the world but he don't own us
Jack: Pulitzer may crack the whip but he won't whip us
Newsies: Pulitzer may crack the whip but he won't whip us
All: and the world will know
and the world will learn
and the work will wonder how we made the tables turn
and the world will see that we had to chose that the things we do today will be tomorrow's news
and the old will fall
and the young stand tall
and the time is now
and our ranks will grow
and our ranks will grow
and grow
and grow
and the world will feel the fire and finally know
Jack had written 'STRIKE' on the chalk board and everyone started cheering
Jack hopped down from the board and stood in front of the door to Pulitzer's building
We followed him over there
