"So where'd you get all this stuff anyways, Jack?"

The happy feeling at seeing his friends slowly get better turned to ashes in his mouth.

"I mean, one day you're sayin' how we all barely got enough to get by, and the next day you got enough medicine, food an' clothes for all of us!"

Jack turned around, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I stole it, okay?"

This was met with stares and a few whistles.

"You did?" Was from Crutchie.

"Yeah, I did, kid," Jack turned to his friend who was lying down in bed. He had been that way for two whole days now. "You want me to take your blankets back?"

"And you, Romeo," Jack continued. "Ya want me tah give back those shoes? An' your medicine, Race?"

"No, Jack," Romeo answered.

"Let's hear it for Jack!" Race whooped. "Three cheers for savin' us newsies!"

"Hip hip, hooray!"

"Hip hip, hooray!"

"Hip hip—"

"Alright, enough!" Jack cut the celebration short. "Some fellas are tryin' to sleep."

Everyone looked at Crutchie, who stared them all down. "Jus' cause I'm in bed doesn't mean I gotta sleep all the time."

"Hip hip, hooray!"

The newsies continued the cheer well into the night, easing some part of Jack's distressed conscious.