In this musical, homeless New York City newsboy Jack "Cowboy" Kelly befriends two newcomers to his trade, brothers David and Les Jacobs . When publisher Joseph Pulitzer sets new rules that make it harder for the young newspaper salesmen to make a buck, the boys go on strike. Bryan Denton, a journalist who's sympathetic to their plight, gives them some tips in public relations, as the newsboys' battle grips the city.