“My…he looks every bit the hero they say he is. How could he not be?”

Lady’s thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of Tramp working to keep the puppies in close. She turned around to scold them. “Hey now! All of you! You should be setting a good example! It’s not every day we have heroes come to town! Now sit nice!”

They all stopped and turned to her with surprised looks on their faces. The puppies each sat down, one after the other (and in a neat little row). In unison, they replied “yes mommy.” Tramp, a little embarrassed, rolled his eyes and sighed, and then joined Lady at her side.

“Gosh, I’m sorry Pige”, Tramp replied softly. I’m trying my best here!” His brow furrowed, and his muzzle wrinkled. “Sometimes I wonder how Jock and Trusty do it!” He sat and scratched at his collar again. “Darn this thing!” he grumbled to himself.

Lady softened her expression. “Well, you needn’t worry about that now. Let’s just try and make a good impression!” Lady turned back to glance at the team, and discovered, to her surprise (and with a noticeable gasp), that they were now unhitched, and that Balto was walking towards her, alongside of a beautiful red lady husky. She stood up, eyes wide, and turned quickly to Tramp.

“Oh, oh my goodness! T-Tramp? He’s coming this way!”

Tramp was still scratching at his collar. “Huh? Who is, Pige? Jock? It’s about time too! It’s so hard to find good puppy sitters these days!”

Lady was becoming more excitable. “No, not Jock! It’s Balto, Tramp! He’s coming over here!”

Tramp lifted his head quickly, glancing to and fro. “What, where?”

Lady nodded towards the direction from which Balto and Jenna were approaching, and started nervously prancing. “Over there, with that pretty red husky! Here they come!”

Tramp, however, just rolled his eyes. “Great. Well, I guess we’ll finally get to see what all this fuss is about, huh?”

Lady glanced hard at her mate. “Tramp! Please!”

CHAPTER 6
The speech-making, from the podium, continued. Balto and Jenna had almost reached Lady and Tramp, when another dog, a German shorthaired pointer, approached them.

“Pardon me, folks.”

Balto and Jenna stopped to acknowledge the pointer.

“My name is Hans. It is a privilege to meet you both…especially you, Balto! You’ll forgive me for saying so, but I couldn’t help overhearing a bit of your conversation, about the pretty cocker spaniel and her mate.”

Balto nodded and smiled. “Well, thank you Hans.” Balto half-turned to Jenna. “This is Jenna, my sweetheart. She is curious about the cocker spaniel. She carries herself so properly!”

Hans nodded in response. “Yeeeeeees, that’s our dear Miss Lady. Prettiest girl on the block! I dare say in all of Snob Hill, really!”

Jenna tilted her head to one side. “Snob Hill?”

Hans laughed. “Oh. Well, you see, that is what this neighborhood is known as. At least, it’s called that by the dogs and humans over on the…well, if you’ll forgive the expression, the ‘wrong side of the tracks’. We’ve all come to call it that - as a term of endearment, after a fashion. The neighborhood’s very well-to-do, you understand.”

Jenna looked around at it with a touch of awe. Yes, I’ve noticed that. It’s very nice!”

“Thank you, Miss Jenna.” Hans quickly replied with a smile. “Er, as I was saying, Miss Lady’s a real gem, and loved by all! The other dog there, the mutt, well that’s her mate, Tramp. He’s quite a legend himself, at least with the dogs around here.”

Balto observed Tramp with some interest. “Hmm!”

Hans continued. “Yes, his story has a touch of the dramatic. He was a junkyard dog, you see. For some time, too. And he was a hero to the street dogs. And then, one day, he chanced upon sweet Miss Lady, and fell madly in love!” The pointer looked over at Tramp with a respectful gaze. “It was said that nothing could tame the Tramp. But love does strange things to even the toughest of legends.” He turned back to Jenna, and then looked at Balto out of the corner of his eye. “Wouldn’t you agree, Miss Jenna?”

“Oh, I suppose so”, said Jenna, with a coy smile.

Hans motioned for Balto and Jenna to follow him. “Please, allow me to introduce you to them. It would be my pleasure!”

CHAPTER 7
Hans, the German shorthaired pointer, stepped a couple of paces ahead of Balto and Jenna, and walked right up to Lady and Tramp. “Excuse me, Miss Lady? Tramp? There’s someone I’d like you t…” But he was interrupted, rather abruptly, by Tramp, who popped up and sauntered over, and gave Hans a nudge on the shoulder with his paw.

“Weeeeeell, Hans! How are you on this fine day, ol’ man?” Tramp carried on boisterously, which shocked and embarrassed Lady. “The family good? Dig up any good bones lately?”

Hans stood for a second, flabberghasted. “Well, I…”

Tramp interrupted him again. “Thaaaat’s what I thought! Now, while I’d like certainly like to…”

“TRAMP!!” Lady was clearly angry, and her eyes gleamed. She sighed hard, and turned to Hans. “Oh, I’m very sorry, Hans. I really don’t know what’s come over him!”

Hans cleared his throat. “I say, it’s quite alright my dear. I suppose he is still adjusting to being a member of polite society.” Hans let out a short, loud sniff at Tramp, and then continued. “May I present Miss Jenna, and the distinguished hero, Balto.”

With that, Hans motioned them forward with his paw, and stepped aside. “You’ll excuse me. I suppose I have some bones to, er, dig up.” With that, he shot a glance at Tramp, stuck his nose up in the air, and trotted off.

Jenna walked right up, and Balto followed behind, a little hesitantly, sniffing the air as he did. Jenna smiled at Lady and Tramp. “Hello! It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

Lady stepped up confidently, but her eyes were fixed on Balto. “Hello, Jenna. The pleasure really is all ours. When we learned that Balto was coming to our town, well, we simply had to meet him!”

Balto stepped up next to Jenna, and gave a respectful and friendly nod to Lady. “Thank you very much, Miss Lady. Everyone’s been very kind, and we’ve had a wonderful time so far!”

Lady gazed up into Balto’s eyes adoringly, giggled and wagged her tail. “Thank you, Balto. But I’d like it if you just called me ‘Lady’.” Her eyes were fixed on his. “You’re even more handsome up close than you are from a distance.” At that, Balto bashfully bowed his head.

In that moment, Lady found that Tramp was not standing with her. She looked back to find him trying very hard to look disinterested. She cast a frustrated glance at him, and cleared her throat.

Tramp sighed, walked up and, with feigned enthusiasm, blurted “Hey there, friend! Glad you could stop on by! Well, it’s been good meeting ya!” With that, he turned and walked off. Lady’s jaw dropped. She was speechless.

Jenna, rather taken aback, muttered “he’s…nice.”

Lady turned back to Jenna. “Oh, I am so embarrassed! Please forgive him. He doesn’t really mean it. I think it’s my fault. I’ve been carrying on about meeting Balto since we first heard he was coming to town, and I suppose I went a little too far!”

She glanced back at Tramp and then turned back to Balto and Jenna. Shaking her head in embarrassment, she continued. “Tramp’s always been rather sensitive about losing his image as a local hero, and I’m afraid he must feel a little threatened.”

Balto walked up to Lady, and smiled at her. “It’s okay, Lady. I think I know what to do.” Balto left them, and walked over to Tramp, who was now standing off by himself, watching the puppies. They were now a short distance away, playing with Jock and Trusty.

“Sssooooo, Tramp. I hear you’re quite the legend around here! I’d sure like to hear some stories about your days as a junkyard dog, if you have some time later.”

Tramp glanced quickly at Balto, a look of surprise on his face. Then his features tightened, and he nodded silently in agreement, and turned away again.

Balto hesitated for a moment, and then continued. “You see, I sort of live on my own, like you used to. It’s tough, sometimes, but I manage. And the townsfolk up where I’m from are really a lot nicer to me than they were in the days before our little adventure. It’d be nice to have a chance to talk to a veteran like yourself.”

Tramp laughed softly. “You know, I miss those days...no leash, no collar…a surprise in every trash can!” He paused for minute, and then broke back into his usual boisterousness. Jumping out in front of Balto, he went down into a classic play bow, with his tail wagging and tongue hanging out. “But hey”, he mused, “there’ll be plenty of time for stories later on, old buddy! Isn’t it about time for them to start presenting medals? It wouldn’t do for a hero to miss that!” Tramp smiled at Balto, and they both walked back over to Jenna and Lady, who were both now happily talking like they were old friends.

They walked back over to the team, just as the mayor was giving his final comments, and about to present a medal to Balto himself.

END OF PART 1