thought she would feel discomfort so soon. 

They were crossing the wildreness towards the mountains. The storm had started again and the sky had darkend since their departure. Mr Ground'd goal was to cross snowy lands before stopping to rest midway, then continue the in the morning. As for Rig. Rig was silent throughout the journey. Everytime Saba turned her head to see if he was alright, he would tug the reins, which indicated the musher wanted her to focus. 

Saba wonderd if he knew she wasn't Tamill. 

Perhaps he did not care, or maybe...

 

What if... 

 

Saba frowned. Since the night they stole away and raced ahead of their opponents, the Musher's mood had changed. He seemed preoccupied.

Then the howling started.

It caused Aleu's head to jerk up and sniff the air. Nobody could see where the cry were coming from. Their eeri greeting made Saba shudder. The young dog wished the sky wasn't so dark.

 

                                                                *

 

Saba felt sick.

Her bones could not take the weight of the sled anymore. Her knees started to buckle underneagh her.

Her head dropped...

Her paws dropped...

The whole world turned to night...

 

  'SABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!'

 

Saved by Tamill's roar, Saba awoke from her blackout.   

  
                                                          ***

The sled's reins jerked.

Saba let out a sigh.

They had run for nearly seven hours. The storm had long passed on. Perhaps they were not yet near Anchorage. Yet it felt so good to stop. She cuaght her breath and shake the snow off her coat.

She looked back. One glance at the sled, she realised instantly why they had halted.

The steel of the sled had broken off!

Cursing darkly, Rig stepped out of the sled and went to inspect it.

     'Come off. The beast must' ve done it.'

Saba wished they knew for certain what '' beast '' it was. Then she wondered if she should return to her old place with Chilla.

     ' Listen!' cried Aleu,' Whatever is that?'

Saba pricked her ears. The noise was familiar. She wondered where she had heard it before. Was it a moter car? No. No one could make it through the snowy wilderness by wheel.

She listened hard.

A though struck her that the sound was coming from the sky. The noise grew louder and louder. 

  ' IT'S DUKE' breathed Balto,' It has to be!'

The plane's engine was unmistakeable now. They waited, hearts beating fast.   
 

At long last, a familiar dot appeared behind through the clouds. It was the Balto Flyer. Duke had found them.
 

  'Will he make it?'Jenna asked, gazing up at the plane in doubt.

  ' Yes, he will,' Balto nodded.' Watch.'

Balto Flyer's engine roared warm gusts of air, as it neared the ground. Snow scatted in its wake. Gracefully, Duke's plane dropped and landed safely, on the ground. 
   Unable to hold his joy, Balto reared up and started barking his greetings. Saba and the others joined in. 
  
Duke took off his gloves and shifted out of the cockpit. He left the plane and ran quickly towards them. Saba could see his face, full of concern. Duke guessed that something was wrong. Though he was a pilot, maybe he could help them.   

  'You in bad shape, sir?' asked Duke, when he reached them.

  'Get off!' snapped Mr Ground.' I'm fine.'

 

  'What seems to be the problem.'

 

  ' Minor manufunction.'

Duke bent down and inspected the sled.

  'Your sled's in rough shape sir. Something chewed the wood. It's broken in two.'

  
  ' I'm aware of that.'

  
  ' Well.' Duke puased, as if he sensed the musher's mood. It was clear now, that Rig's blind determination to got to Anchorage, dispite problems and the hard toil, was his main focas.' Well, I'm no expert on sleds. But that sled isn't going anywhere. Eather we wait here until help arrives. Or, I'll fly ahead to Fairbanks and they'll send another sled down  to you.' 

Rig said nothing.  

  ' Sir?'

  ' Do as you like, Sir. I want to start on soon... ' he too puased, as if thinking.

  'I'll be back in a few hours.' the pilot said. ' I maybe back during nightful, just to check on you. Stay here and make camp. Set up a campfire, in case I can't find you. G'day, Sir.' 

As he walked past him, Duke patted Balto on the head, fondly. Balto let him. Then Duke pulled out from his coat - pocket a rashonal bar, which Balto took and shared with Jenna. Saba watched this exchanged from afar, warmed by the deep friendship between this man and her father.
 
 
  'You take care of yourself, Balto.'said Duke, warmly. 'It's you we want back home, not the First Prize Cup.'

He strode back to his plane. Saba, Balto, Jenna, Kodi, Aleu, Tamill, Chilla and Dingo watched him leave. Rig remained silent. As Duke jumped aboard, a sick feeling filled Saba's heart. 

The engine started again. The blade moved and the tail left the ground. With a last wave, Duke guided Balto Flyer through the vast, empty land. Faster and faster it rolled, until it lifted lightly off the snow. The plane soared upward, touching the clear sky. Everyone stood gazing at it, before it disappeared through the clouds. 

Mr Ground shifted his leg and hopped to the sled. Both dog and wolf watched as he inspected the wood one last time.  

   'Phssssst, Saba! Phssssssssssssst!'

Her father voice caught her attention. He looked at her warningly.

   ' Get back to your place,' his tone was pleading. Saba needed no second warning. Shifting out of her reins, she hurried to Tamill, who was also out of his reins.

He winked at her,   

   ' Not bad, ' he said,' For a beginner.'

Saba smiled.

   ' Thanks, brother.'

   ' Balto,' Jenna whispered, looking back at Rig.' What's going to happen?'

   ' I don't know, Jenna.' Balto frowned,' I don't know.'

                 

                                                                *

 

Mr Ground found a long leather rope. He strapped around the wood and steel and tared it. When it had dryed for some time, he got up, fed the dogs, adjusted the baggage ropes, before setting himself onto the sled.

Saba and others waited. When Duke returned, he will not know where to find them. If anything happend, nobody, not Duke, not Ragnel, or anyone will be able to locate them.

Rig stared out into the horizon.

   ' For Nome.' he said, then shouted ' HIKE!' 

 

XIX

'Dad!' Balto's well-built son, Dingo yelled to his father in a rough voice. Balto's ears pricked as he tried to catch whatever he was saying.

It had been two hours since they left their camp. They had marked their route and still showed no signs of any rest. Rig seemed eager to go on. But for how long. Dingo listened as his mother, brothers and sisters panted hard as they struggled to stay awake. They were exhusted from the today's events and had had little sleep, since they had crept away from their sleeping opponauts, during the the dead of night. Before raceing away to win the lead.

  'We...puff puff...we're running low, do you know when is the next stop?' Dingo cried..

  'Rig knows.' Balto replied,'Don't complain. We'll stop soon.'

Dingo was about to argue, when Tamill who ran shoulder to shoulder with him, turned his head and breathed in his ear. 

  'It's called Fairbanks. They'll have planty of fish and plenty of supplise there'

  'Hopefully have plenty of beds.'remarked Dingo, he had never in his life been so tired. And it was all becuase of those unknown invaders. He would sink his teeth on whoever they were. 'Do you know how long it wil take to get there?'

  'No idea, I've never been there. Never been this far from our home before.'

  'Neather have I.' Dingo nodded. He sighed. Home
 

                                                              ***

   'What's he doing?' he asked, later after they finally stopped. Not in a town but on a small hill, over-seeing a little plain. Trees with mountains ahead on one side, a shoreline with rock formations on

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