with a toddler in her arms. A tad farther down, the family’s two dogs worked their way through the crowd of human legs and into a fantastic spot for viewing the parade. One was a beautiful brown cocker spaniel with a faded blue collar decorating her slender neck. The other was a slim, gray mutt with tufts of unruly fur scattered from his head to his tail. The mutt sat down next to his purebred mate and began scratching at his new shiny red collar with zeal.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow! Gosh, Pigeon, I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to get used to this silly thing. I know I said I’d do anything for you, but this is murder!”

He paused for a moment.

“So tell me again, Pige, who’s this dog that everyone’s carrying on about so much?”

The cocker spaniel, known by her owners and the other dogs of Snob Hill as “Lady”, looked sidelong at her mate. “Oh, Tramp! He’s a legend! He and his sled team saved the children of a small village in Alaska from a horrible disease! I saw his picture on the front page of this morning’s newspaper…the one Jim Dear was reading. I just can’t wait to have a chance to see him! He sounds simply wonderful!”

The mutt laughed, and began scratching again at his collar. “Weeeeell, he’d just better not get too friendly with my special girl!”

As the two dogs talked, from down the street came the sounds of a marching band, and soon they caught sight of it. It was led by two people carrying a banner, bearing the band’s name, and before that, another banner emblazoned with the words “Paw-rade of Heroes – We welcome Balto the Wonder Dog and his Sled Team!” Cheers and applause rose up from the crowd.

Lady perked up with anticipation. “Ooh, it’s starting, Tramp! Now where did Scamp and the girls get to? They won’t want to miss this!”

Through the forest of legs came Scamp, tumbling head over heels. And right behind him the Scottish terrier, Jock, nudging him along. Following behind Jock were Lady and Tramp’s other puppies, Annette, Collette, and Danielle. Jock nudged Scamp one more time, and then sat down beside Lady. “Here they are, lassie. Found ‘em sniffing near a push-cart full o’ funnel cakes.” Tramp shot a glance at Scamp, who bowed his head in embarrassment.

Lady nodded. “Thank you so very much, Jock! I was so swept up in all the excitement about Balto, that I must have lost track of them! But I should have realized you’d be there to keep them out of trouble!”

A murmur of frustrated human voices came from behind them, and soon old Trusty, the blood hound, appeared, pushing right through the sea of legs. “Thaaaat’s right, Miss Lady! They was never in any trouble, not with ol’ Trusty on the job!”

Jock cleared his throat in protest, and shot Trusty an angry glance.

CHAPTER 2
Down the road, further back in the parade marching order, came Balto’s team. They were harnessed to the same sled they pulled in the Serum Run, only now it was propped up on wheels. Behind Balto were Star, then Nikki, then Kaltag, and three other dogs behind him…Nulato, Koyuk, and Pete.

Star, the Alaskan husky, was amazed by the beautiful Victorian and Edwardian buildings and finery. “Boy oh boy!! Talk about living the good life, huh guys?”

Nikki, the big chow chow, chuckled. “Yeah! Dey sure got it made here on ‘Easy Street’. Ain’t dat right dere, Balto?”

Balto, like the others, marveled at the scenery, the well-dressed people and well-groomed dogs. It was practical sensory-overload. “Well, it sure isn’t anything like home! Even Jenna’s family doesn’t have it this good! But it is…well, it’s nice. These people sure do make a fuss!”

Kaltag, the other Alaskan husky on the team, broke in with his usual exuberance. “Oh I’ll tell ya, this is the best, the gaudiest, the richest, the most fantastic celebration I’ve…”

And then Star interrupted excitely “It makes me wanna dance! Ha ha!” Kaltag let out a low growl, and shot a glance at Star, who just giggled and shrugged.

CHAPTER 3
Tramp stretched his neck to look past the legs of the people he stood by, in order to try and catch a glimpse of the team. The parade continued by…bands playing patriotic tunes…baton twirlers prancing in a choreographed routine, and even clowns cavorting and showing off with their silly antics. And through it all, the people just kept talking about Balto, and how they longed to catch a glimpse of him.

“Man, this Balto really must be something! He’s all that these people keep talking about!”

“Well, dear, he did save a whole town after all!” Lady sighed wistfully. “It all sounds so wonderful!”

“Yeah,” Tramp mumbled worriedly, “wonderful.”

A shadow played across Lady’s face. “Oh, but he probably wouldn’t be interested in meeting dogs like us. I mean, what have we ever done that could compare with his heroic adventures?”

Jock, who had been listening to the conversation, tried to offer what he thought would be words of comfort to Lady. “I wouldna worry yourself about that now, lassie. This parade wi’ be over before ye know it, and they’ll be off t’ another city.”

Lady hung her head. The parade continued along, a few horse-drawn carriages passing by with dignitaries sitting in them (as well as Rosy’s father, with Jenna sitting at his feet), and at last, at the very end of the parade, the team itself. As the cheers of the onlookers grew, Tramp again cast his eyes down the street. “Hey! Hey look Pige! Here comes Balto and his team now!”

The dogs perked up and looked down the street to see Balto. Trusty, ever eager to make an impression, sat up at full attention, muzzle held proudly, high in the air. Lady and Tramp’s puppies scurried to the very curb of the street, prancing about happily as the team came ever closer, with a crowd behind. Alongside of them, children trotted at respectful distance, laughing with glee.

CHAPTER 4
As the team approached the end of the parade route, Nikki caught the scent of fresh, warm funnel cakes in the autumn breeze.

“Oooooh, now dere’s a lovely scent! Do youse t’ink dey is gonna have somet’ing nice laid out for us when we is t’rough with dis parade?”

Balto laughed. “Oh I’m sure they will, Nikki. It certainly seems like these people don’t do anything small!”

Balto looked down the street, and his ears perked up. “Hey, it looks like we may be coming to the end! There’s a park up ahead, and the bands up front are turning into it!”

Star looked up momentarily. “Thank goodness! My paws are killing me! Oooooooh!”

“You weakling”, Kaltag teasingly replied, “why, if we weren’t all harnessed up, I’d give you one good! We’ve gotta look our best here! It’s only a little farther, and we certainly went a lot farther back home, didn’t we?”

Star grimaced. “Yeah. In snow…not on cobblestones and pavement! Ow! OW!”

“Come on, fellas”, Balto replied firmly, “hang in there! We’re doing this mostly for them, not for us! Besides…can’t you feel the love?” He laughed again.

The team finally reached the end of the route, and turned into the wrought-iron and brass gateway to the town park, all bedecked with colorful banners, American flags, and garland, and signs welcoming the team. A large brass band was seated by a decorated, raised platform, playing patriotic American tunes.

The team was halted before the platform, and permitted to rest and drink water. As the town’s citizens filed into the park, the band continued playing. Then several well-dressed dignitaries, including the mayor, ascended the stairs of the raised platform and seated themselves there, behind a podium. As the band completed its final tune, a bearded man stood up and walked over to the podium, and welcomed the townspeople. He then gave a special welcome to Balto’s team, extending his hand to point them out to the crowd as he spoke. Then he began an introduction to what would be a round of speech-making and the presenting of ribbons. Some of it was short and interesting, the rest rather long, dry and boring.

This allowed Jenna an opportunity to walk up to Balto, and for the dogs to interact with curious children who approached the team. Gunnar Kaasen, the team’s musher, unhitched the dogs from the harness, and allowed them to lay down or wander.

Jenna walked up and gave Balto a loving lick on the nose. “You really deserve all of this, Balto. I can’t wait to mingle with some of the neighborhood kids, and to see what the dogs are like here. Everyone seems so sophisticated and well-mannered!”

Balto looked down and pawed at the ground. “Awww…heck Jenna. You know how I feel about people fussing over me! Besides, I wasn’t the only dog on the team, you know. These other fellas worked pretty hard themselves. I just think that they often get lost in the shuffle, you know?”

Jenna smiled. “Oh Balto! I wouldn’t worry so much. Besides, they seem to be having a pretty good time.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Jenna spotted a young family near the front of the crowd. At their feet were two dogs – a scrappy-looking mutt and a beautiful brown cocker spaniel. There were also a few young puppies playing at their feet. She was curious to meet some of the dogs of the neighborhood, and this seemed as good a place to start as any.

Jenna started to walk towards the family. “Balto”, she said, “I want to say hello to that cocker spaniel over there. Come with me, will you?”

Balto sized up the family, and the dogs at their feet. “Oh…sure Jenna.” He looked back for a moment at the team, some of them tilting their heads out of curiosity, and others totally bored and disinterested. He shrugged, and then turned and followed Jenna.

CHAPTER 5
Lady was sitting quietly, and very properly, next to Darling, who was standing arm-in-arm with Jim Dear. Behind them, their Aunt Sara held their son, Junior, in her arms. Tramp, meanwhile, was busy trying to keep the puppies corralled, as Jock and Trusty had momentarily wandered off. As Lady sat, listening to the speaker at the podium, she occasionally glanced over at the team, and particularly at Balto. She was truly overwhelmed by his proud bearing and handsome features, and thought to herself “My…he looks every bit