The Kids of Burrow Street

We're standing at the corner, Pepper and me. He's selling newsclips for a dime, hollerin' like a do-right fog horn.

The crowd is barreling on by, and I adjust my cap cause it's too big and it's sliding over my eyes. Pop said I shouldn't wear it, 'specially cause it's his.

"Sticks, ya gonna do somethin' with yourself other than watch me work?" Pepper says while adjusting an overall strap.

I just squint at him. He thinks just cause he's eleven he can boss me around, but Pop told me ten-year-olds are big enough to handle themselves.

I look back at the morning market and try to push my braid back under Pop's cap. "You know I work just as hard as you."

Pepper gives me a cheeky grin and waves a fistfull of his newsclips at me. "I ain't seen you out there yet, and I already been making a near dollar!" Pepper taps a finger to his pocket, and I can hear the clink of his coins.

"Jiminy, I'm going, ok?" I flash Pepper a sweet smile. "How do I look?"

Pepper looks at my cuffed pants, patched-up vest, and dirty face. "Like a do-right rat, that's how," he told me, bursting into laughter.

I step up to him to give him a fair swat on the arm, but he darts away from me, cackling and waving his newsclips.

"Just ten cents, now, ladies and gents!" Pepper yells from within the crowd.

I can't see him, but I follow his voice, running through the street and squeezing through adults. Pepper plays it clever today, he ran right through a couple of swaddled nobles, and I start to follow. But I know my part.

I run right into one.

"Ooof!" The woman I bumped into makes a noise like when you fall into a pile of dirt. She's wearing a long purple cloak and a shiny, shiny necklace. Her face is long and pinched and looks very disapproving of me.

I look up at her with a sheepish smile. "Beg pardon, ma'am. I'a been chasing my friend down there, didn't see where I'a been runnin'."

The woman totted, "Foul children, running around these streets!"

"Real sorry, ma'am, honest!" I say with a quick bow. Then, I scurry away, lookin' up at the buildings to see where I am now.

We'd run down the length of Burrow street already, and I'd made a few snatches, 'nough for the morning. Can't go around takin' everything, Pop always says. Gettin' greedy gets ya caught!

I round the corner to Dock street and run straight-away past the snake charmer. Pepper and me planned to meet right past him.

But I don't see Pepper nowhere. Instead, somebody grabs my arm, swings me around.

A burly woman with missing teeth says loudly, "Whaddya doin' round here, kid?"

I knock her hand off me and say clearly, "I sell the newsclips 'ere, ma'am." She narrows her eyes at me, and I plant my feet. "Just a dime, for one, ma'am."

"You be lookin' like a filtcher, ya little street thief!"

The woman reaches at me again, but I start a-runnin'.

Only get three steps afore I get caught again.

A man grabs me. "Where you off to so fast?" he says in a gravelly voice.

"That's me sister, sir! I'm awful glad you found 'er. Jolly thanks, sir."

I turn my head and see Pepper with his salesman smile. He puffs out his chest and puts his thumbs through his overall straps, just like Pop likes to do.

The man crinkles his already crinkly brow at the two of us, but it's enough to allow me to slip away from him.

But Pepper and me aren't free of the adults yet. The burly woman looms over us. "You kids 'ave a home? I'll report yous as stealin' if I see you round 'ere again!"

Pepper grabs my arm and pulls me behind him. "Yes, ma'am. We live right on Burrow street, sellin' the newsclips. Ten cents if you ever need one! Ta-ta!" Then Pepper pulls me so hard Pop's cap near flies off my head, and we start runnin' through the streets again, an honest run this time, me right at his heels.

We run far enough to near reach the opposite side of the market. Pepper stops in the shade of a building, and I near collapse next to him. Both of us breathe heavily from runnin' so much.

"I thought I was done for, Pepper! I really did!" I say, still holding Pop's cap on my head.

Pepper takes a deep breath and grins mischievously. "No worryin', Sticks. You might be a brat, but you know I'll be a-lookin' after you. No matter what."

I smile at Pepper but I scrunch up my nose too. Then, real quiet, I ask, "You wanna see what I stole off that rich lady?"

Pepper's smile widens. "Let's see it!"