Jed Kristo walked down the street, how to get back to the alley that he called home. "It's been a week since I've been here, and I still can't figure out how to get to the alley. It's pitiful," he muttered. "I can't believe this."

When it seemed like the road would go on forever, the boy came to a dead end in the street. There was a brick wall right in front of him, about 2 feet high. The boy laughed, as he ran to the wall and hopped over it. "They don't call me Leapfrog for nothing!", he said as he walked down the walled out area.

As he finally came to the alleyway he called home, he saw a sight that a runaway orphan can't stand. Investigating his alleyway home, were two policemen.

"I got a tip from an old lady that there was a murderer who lived here," one of the policemen said.

"Ah, she was crazy. Chief said to me that we was looking for a runaway orphan to take him back to the orphanage," the second cop hit the first one on the head.

"Well, he still might be a murderer," the first cop said disappointedly.

Leapfrog didn't care what they thought he was, he dashed back to the brick wall like a cheetah and jumped over it as fast as he could. Looking from right to left, he dashed behind the first building he saw. A wave of panic washed over him thinking that he would go back to the orphanage, or worst, to jail.

"I can't let them find me, but it's nighttime. I have to find a place to sleep until the police leave the alley. But where am I going to find somewhere where the cops won't find me?"

Leapfrog was obviously distressed, as he leaned against the building. However, instead of feeling a wall, he felt a fire escape.

"Well, there's no place to go," he said as he climbed up the fire escape, "but up."

Leapfrog awoke to voices the next morning. Keeping his eyes shut, he just listened.

"Charity! Come here, an look at dis! I think we got a Peepin' Tom." It seemed to be a girl's voice.

"Aw, cmon, Switchblades, you're crazy." Another girl replied. Leapfrog assumed to be Charity.

"Nah, well then how come he's right outside the window?" Switchblades responded.

"Fine, I'll go take a look," Charity sighed as she walked over to the window, "Christ! There's someone out there for sure!"

"I told ya."

"Yeah, well, I don't think he's a Peeping Tom, now do I? He looks too young."

"What's all the commotion about?" A male voice now joined the conversation.

"This kid outside our window. Look out there." Charity replied.

"OK, so there's a kid outside your window. Big deal."

"Aw, shut up Ransom. We oughta call the police on dis kid." Switchblades suggested.Someone climbed out the window. Leapfrog couldn't tell whether it was Charity, Switchblades, or Ransom.

"Yeah, she might be right." Charity responded.

"Whatever. It's your window." Ransom walked out of the room.

"Switchblades, go call the police, while he's asleep."

Leapfrog jumped to his feet. "P-please… don't call the police," he pleaded as he backed down the fire escape, "I'll just leave right now. And I'll leave you alone."

"Geez, kid. Calm down," the girl said. "We're not gonna call the police," she said.

"We're not?" Switchblades responded.

"No." The girl looked at Leapfrog. "So, kid what's your name?"

"It's Jed Kristo. But most people call me Leapfrog."

"Leapfrog, huh? So whatcha doin on our fire escape."

"Hidin. From someone who's trying to find me."

"Really? Who?"

"The police. They're going to take me back to an orphanage."

"Oh. Well, come on in." She climbed back in through the window.

"OK." Leapfrog followed her. As he climbed in, he looked around. The room looked like any room in an ordinary house with rough-hewn walls and a washroom.

"Welcome to Bay Ridge Lodging House for Newsgirls and Newsboys," she said as she led him out of the room.

"So, ya mean, everyone here is a newsboy or a newsgirl?" He questioned.

She nodded. "Yup."

Leapfrog looked around the place. It seemed everyone here was at least three, four or five years older than him. "Why are there so many bunkbeds in there?"

"That's the girls' bunkroom. There are a lot of newsgirls in the lodging house." Charity led Leapfrog to another room. "This is the guys' bunkroom. Over there is Ransom and Smudge." She pointed to two guys playing poker.

To Leapfrog, the guys' bunkroom was exactly the same as the girls' bunkroom, it was just a lot smaller. "I'm guessing there aren't as many guys in here."

Charity laughed. "Nope."

"Um...would you mind if," Leapfrog gulped, "I stayed here? I could use the job. And it wouldn't cause any trouble with the police if I had somewhere to stay." This was Leapfrog's last hope, and he knew it.

"I don't see why not," Charity smiled.

"Oh. This is great. Thanks a lot." Leapfrog smiled, as he knew that this would be a new beginning to a new life.