Santa Fe

Chapter 6: Trying to Break Crutchy Out and Making the Front Page

It was now dark and Jack, Abby, and David were walking into the grounds of the Refuge. Jack had a rope in his hands, so he could be lowered to a window to talk to Crutchy.

"So here it is the refuge. My home, sweet home," Jack said.
"How can you be sure they sent him here," David asked.
"It's really obvious, Dave," Abby answered. "Where else would they send him?"

"How can I be sure the Delancey's stink? It's just how things work, ya know? An orphan gets arrested, Snyder makes sure he gets sent straight here, so he can rehabilitate him. The more kids in the refuge, the more money the city sends to take care of them, the more Snyder sticks it in his pocket. He's here," Jack said.
"So how come you brought the rope," David asked.
"You'll see," Jack replied as he, Abby, and David hid so they wouldn't be seen.

Soon, they were on the roof. Jack was being lowered to a window by David. He knocked on a window and a boy who was around Les' age opened it.

"Hey, Cowboy. You miss the joint," the boy asked.
"What do ya say, Ten Pin. You got a new guy in here. Crutchy," Jack answered.
"The gimp? I'll get him for ya," he said before leaving to get Crutchy.

Crutchy got the help of one boy as he walked over to the window.

"Hey Crutchy," Jack said.
"I don't believe it. What are you hangin' around here for," he asked.
"What do you mean what am I hangin' around here for? You know who's on the roof," Jack asked.
"Who," Crutchy asked.
"Dave and Abby," Jack replied.
"Is that Abby and Dave? Heya guys! How ya doin'," Crutchy asked as the two shushed him.
"Listen, Crutchy, go get your stuff. We're gonna get you outta here," Jack told him.
"Well, actually, I ain't been walkin' so good. Oscar and Morris kinda worked me over a little bit, you know," he asked.
"They hurt you? Don't worry about it. Me, Abby, and Dave, we can carry you outta here," Jack answered.
"I don't want nobody carryin' me, you hear? Hey, Dave and Abby! You know, they still talk about how Jack rode outta here on that coach," Crutchy said.
"Oh, yeah. Teddy Roosevelt's, right," he asked.
"You already heard the story," Crutchy replied.
"You mean it's true," David asked.
"Of course," Crutchy replied as Snyder walked into the room. "Hey! Cheese it!"

David quickly pulled Jack up. The three of them left the Refuge.

"The two of you can come home with me and stay the night if you want. I'm sure my folks won't mind," David said.
"Nah. Abby and I have a place we can stay at," Jack said.
"Okay. See you tomorrow," David said before walking away.

"So, should we head back to the lodgin' house," Jack asked.
"I know a place where we can stay. It's not that far from here, actually," Abby answered.
"Okay," Jack said as they started walking.
"So, did you mean what you said to Spot today? Am I just your friend and nothing more," Abby asked.
"I-I don't know. I mean I told you that I love you and you didn't say it back. All you did was hug me," Jack replied.
"Sometimes people say I love you without even saying it, Jack! Me hugging you was my way of saying I love you because I didn't feel comfortable saying it to you in front of David! I imagined that we would have a more intimate moment when we said our first I love you," Abby said.
"I'm sorry, Abby. I guess I'm too dumb to pick up little things like that," he said.
"You're not dumb, Jack. Don't ever call yourself that again! I love you too much to see you put yourself down like that," she told him.
"Did you just say you love me," he asked with a smile.
"I guess I did," Abby answered. "And we're here."
"Where are we," Jack asked.
"This is my grandparents' house," Abby replied.
"This isn't a house. This is a mansion," Jack said.
"Yeah, my grandparents have money. I guess I'll inherit the money and the house when they die because I'm the eldest heir. Who cares? I love being a newsie better than being a snooty rich girl anyway," Abby said while getting a key from under the mat and opening the door.