but he didn’t say anything.

“I don’t want Jenna to think I’m jealous or something stupid like that.” He thought.

Tango smiled.

“You have a wonderful daughter.”

Balto looked back at him a little strangely, but Tango didn’t notice.

Jenna got embarrassed.

“Tango…”

Balto looked at her, and then back to Tango.

“This could be a problem,” he thought.

Once again, no one noticed Balto’s reaction.

“You certainly do,” Balto said, stepping up beside Jenna.

Max laughed.

“Well,” Flash said, “two people have said it, so it must be true, though I have yet to see it.”

“Dad!” Jenna said.

“I’m kidding Jenna,” said Flash, “you’re a great kid.”

Tango smiled again.

“Well not exactly a kid anymore.”

Balto looked back at Tango again.

He didn’t like the way Tango was looking at Jenna.

“This could definitely be a problem,” Balto thought.

“Okay guys,” Balto said, eager to change the subject. “Where’s Blaize?”

“He’s inside,” Flash said, “he got a piece of that husky too.”

Jenna became alarmed again, forgetting about Tango.

“Blaize too?!” She said. “Is he okay?!”

Jenna took off toward the house, without waiting for an answer.

Flash laughed.

“You’ll find she’s extremely excitable.” Max said.

“It’s her way of showing she cares,” Balto said, “excuse me.”

Then he walked towards the house, leaving Tango alone with Max and Flash.

Tango watched Balto walk away, then Max laughed.

“Looks like they forgot about you Tango.”

“Yeah,” Tango said quietly.

It looked to Max like he was thinking really hard about something.

“You better follow them, if you want to meet Blaize.” She continued.

Tango looked up at her.

“Blaize? Oh… yeah… thanks.”

Then he too walked towards the house.

Balto walked into the room, just as Jenna was finishing giving Blaize a good dressing down.

“… and what do you think you were doing?!” Jenna was almost yelling at him.

“I mean, you could’ve been hurt… or… or

killed!”

“Mom please,” Blaize said.

He chuckled.

“This is not a laughing matter Blaize!” Jenna

said. “What if something happened to you?! I had a hard enough time losing your sister…”

Blaize noticed his father’s ears drooped a little as he stepped into the house.

“Uh... mom?” Blaize said.

Jenna didn’t hear him as she continued.

“… and your father…“

Her voice softened a bit.

“Blaize, he almost fell apart when we lost Jadze. I don’t think he could…”

At this point Blaize cleared his throat, cutting his mother off.

“Um… mom?” Blaize said.

He tossed his head towards the door, and Jenna turned around to see Balto standing there.

“Oh… Balto… I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were…”

Balto cut her off as he walked up beside her.

“It’s okay Jen,” he said.

Then he looked at Blaize.

“Just be more careful next time.”

“I will dad,” Blaize said.

Balto walked around to face Jenna.

“Jenna, I need to talk to talk to you about…”

Suddenly he stopped.

“Tango!” He said, as he saw the brown dog walk through the door.

“I want you to meet my son Blaize.”

“Hello,” Tango said.

“Hi,” said Blaize.

Balto smiled and stepped up next to his son.

“Blaize, this is a new dog in town, his name is Tango.

He paused.

“Why don’t you two talk, I’ve got to speak to Jenna alone for a minute.”

He turned to Jenna.

“Jen, come with me.”

“But Balto I…”

A little impatience came into his voice.

“Jenna, now!”

“Well… alright… Blaize, keep Tango company.”

Jenna walked beside Balto as he walked toward the door.

Tango started to follow.

A little anger crept into his voice this time.

“I said alone.” He said sharply.

Tango took a step back, then turned back to Blaize.

Balto and Jenna walked outside.

“Balto, what is this about?” Jenna asked, “and why were you so rough with Tango back there?”

“Jenna,” Balto said, “I don’t like Tango.”

“What?” Jenna asked. “Why?”

“It’s the way he looks at you, and the things he’s said, I don’t like it at all.”

“Balto, what do you think he’s going to do, steal me from you?”

“I don’t know Jenna, but he might try.”

“What has he said to make you think that?” Jenna asked/

“How about, “It’s nice to meet the family, or.. or even better “you’ve got a wonderful daughter there,” or how about the clincher, “Well not exactly a kid anymore.”

Balto had an almost belligerent tone in his voice now.

“I just don’t like him.”

Jenna laughed.

“Well I hardly think it’s funny Jenna,” Balto said.

“No,” Jenna said, “it is. You’re jealous.”

“What?” Balto asked. “I am not.”

Jenna laughed again.

“Yes you are, a new dog has showed up, and is showing a little harmless affection toward me, and you’re jealous.”

Balto sighed.”

“Jenna you’re missing the point entirely.”

“No I see it,” Jenna said, “you’re jealous.”

“STOP SAYING THAT!” Balto yelled.

Jenna took a step back, in surprise.

Balto sighed.

“I’m sorry Jen, I.. I shouldn’t have yelled at you, but I’m not jealous, I’m… I’m scared. I’ve got to leave soon, and I’m leaving him with you, what’s he gonna try while I’m gone… maybe nothing, maybe not.”

Jenna’s ears drooped a little.

“What Balto, do you not trust me enough to leave me with him, you think… you think you’re going to come back and I’ll be gone or something?”

“It’s not you I’m worried about,” Balto said, “it’s him.”

“I’d never do anything like that to you.” Jenna said, “I thought…. I thought you’d know that.”

She started to get teary eyed.

“Oh geez Jenna,” Balto said, “don’t start crying on me. I already told you that it’s not you I’m worried about, what if he doesn’t ask, what if he just does?”

Jenna paused.

“I don’t think Tango’d do anything like that.” She said.

“I don’t think so either,” Balto said, “but if you think about it, we really know nothing about him. Did he ever tell us where he was from, what towns he’d been to, things like that, no, nothing.”

“I’ll watch him,” Jenna said, “and I won’t be alone, Max and Flash and Blaize will be here.”

“Just do me a favor,” Balto said, “I’m going to ask this, and then I’ve got to go.”

“Yeah,” Jenna said, “you’ve gotta go…”

“Jenna,” Balto said, “please don’t start that again, I told you what I could do about it.”

Jenna turned away from him.

“That doesn’t’ mean I have to accept it.”

“Jen, please.” Balto said.

Jenna sighed and looked back at him.

“Keep Tango away from the house while I’m gone, okay?” Balto said.

“Balto, I can control the situation,” Jenna said.

“Just do it… please Jen?” Balto asked.

Jenna sighed.

“Alright, if it’ll make you feel better.”

“It will,” Balto said.

‘You better get going,” Jenna said, “wouldn’t want you to get left behind or something.”

“Yeah,” Balto said, “look, Jen, I love you, that’s why I’m concerned okay?”

Jenna smiled at him.

“Okay Balto, I love you too.”

Balto started to walk away.

“And thanks for watching out for me,” Jenna said.

Balto stopped and turned.

He smiled.

“That’s what I’m here for, just be careful.”

“I will,” Jenna said, then she walked back toward the house as Balto walked out of the gate.

As Balto walked through the gate, he felt a rain drop hit his nose.

“Great,” Balto thought, “at least we’ll be in the air, above the clouds soon.”

Luke ran out of the house to him, and the wind picked up.

“Come on Balto,” Luke said, “we need to get airborne; the wind is going to make it too dangerous to take off soon.”

Balto and Luke ran toward the plane.

Chapter 6

Two days later, Jenna was looking out at the pouring rain.

She hated it when it rained, which thankfully wasn’t often, because it depressed her.

She sighed.

She was all alone.

Rosy and her family had left for a month or so to go see some old friends in Shishmaref, and Max, Flash and Blaize had left with the mail team.

Mr. Harrme was afraid that the storm would get worse, and he’d be unable to make his scheduled run two days from now. So the team had set out for White Mountain yesterday.

In this weather, travel was gonna be slow.

She didn’t expect them any time soon.

Even