bit,” Balto told the young dog, who was busy enjoying some fish he’d found while in Nome.

The dog nodded at him and Balto left.

About an hour later and Balto stood in front of his house.

“Her house,” he corrected himself.

He walked up to the door and scratched on it.

“Come in,” he heard Jenna say.

He took a deep breath, prepared for the worst, and stepped through the door.

Jenna looked extremely surprised to see him.

“Balto?” She said, her eyes narrowed, “get out.”

“Jenna..” Balto started.

“Balto get out of here now,” she said, but the edge in her voice was faltering.

“Jenna, can I talk to you?”

“Balto,” she said, “you’re not supposed to…” She stopped when she saw the look in his eyes.

“He’s already had a rough day,” she thought.

“Alright,” she said.

She followed him outside.

“So how are Blaize and Jadze?” Balto said.

“They’re just fine,” Jenna said, “now what did you want to talk about?”

“I just had to see you,” he said.

“Balto..” She started.

Balto smiled.

“It’s a beautiful night out tonight isn’t it?” He said.

“Yes it is,” Jenna said, “now Balto, you’ve either got to tell me what you came to talk about, or you’ve got to leave. I don’t….”

A tear came to her eye.

“Balto, I don’t want to see you hurt,” she said.

Balto nodded.

“I… I don’t know how I’m going to do it Jen,” he said.

“You’re going to have to find a way,” Jenna said.

“I just wish you’d believe me,” Balto said.

“Oh Balto,” Jenna said, “please don’t start that again.”

“I didn’t,” he said.

“Balto,” Jenna said, “you’ve got to leave, now.”

“Jen…”

“And stop calling me that, my name is Jenna, now leave, please, don’t make me go get Drake Balto, please?”

Balto looked at the ground.

“Alright Jenna,” Balto said as he turned and walked away.

He turned around.

“Jenna if you ever want to know the real story, if you ever have an interest, talk to Drake.”

Then he turned and ran away.

Jenna ran back into the house, laid down in the corner and cried.

Balto ran all the way back to the trawler, tears blurring his vision. “That went well,” he thought to himself, “what else did you expect?”

He reached the boat.

“He looks upset,” the young dog thought

“Balto?” he said.

Balto said nothing, just ran down to the bottom of the boat and grabbed the box, opening it and throwing it to the ground, the hair clutched in his teeth.

He ran back up to the top of the boat and jumped on top of the captains well.

The wind was blowing. It blew past Balto’s face, threatening to blow him off of the boat.

“Let it go,” he said to himself.

He tried.

“I can’t,” he thought.

He jumped down and slowly walked back to the bottom of the boat.

He found the discarded box, carefully laid the hair back in it., and closed the lid

He looked at the box, tears coming to his eyes.

He kicked the box and hit the far wall.

Balto dropped to the floor and let the tears come.

The young dog walked into the boat.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Go away kid," Balto responded, "just leave me alone."

"No," the young dog said walking into the room, "what's the matter? My mom always said not to hold things in, it makes them harder to deal with."

"I lost Jenna," Balto said.

"What?" the pup said, "How… did she die?"

"No," Balto said, "she thinks I cheated on her, but I.. I didn't, I could have…. but I didn't.

"I was getting her a gift for our anniversary, it was yesterday. I found the most beautiful diamond," Balto said. I hid it like three weeks ago, anyway I was going to go get it, and I didn't want Jenna to know, or guess, so I told Kaltag, he's a sled dog on our team, I told him to tell Jenna that I was going to Applegate to see a friend, thinking that I could go get the diamond sleep out on the streets for one night, go home the next morning and surprise her. "

The pup listened intently,

"Well I found the diamond and was on my way to find somewhere to sleep, when I heard a voice behind me. I don't even remember what she said, something about wanting me to do her a favor. Anyway, she looked like she could use some help, so I said I 'd see what I could do, and asked her what the favor was. She said it was private, and could we go into this barn and talk. I thought she might be in some kind of trouble or something, and so I said sure and walked in. My son saw us, but said he didn't think much of it, it was probably just one of my friends. Once we were inside she said her favor was for me to sleep in the barn we were in, I thought that this was kind of stupid, then I thought about it, sure enough the next words that came out of her mouth were "because I'm staying here tonight.

"Now she was cute, don't get me wrong,. I'm not going to say that wasn't extremely tempted to listen to her, as he tried to cajole me into it. After all Jenna'd never know, right? I mean she thought I was in Applegate. But I realized that if she did find out, the whole world would mean nothing to me anymore. I'm nobody without her, I'm and empty shell, or less.

"Anyway I told her no, and repeated myself several times. then I just walked out. She yelled something at me, but I didn't understand it, and then…."

He paused and his face lit up.

A huge smile slowly cut it's way across his face.

"Jake!" Balto said.

"What?" the young pup asked confused.

"Jake, I met this dog," Balto jumped up and started pacing around the room. It started to freak the little one out.

"Balto what are you talking about?"

"As I left the building, this dog stopped me."

"So?" The young pup asked.

So I have a witness!" Balto said.

"A witness?"

"Yeah," Balto said excitedly, "Jenna took me to court, she got me suspended from seeing her or the kids ever again."

"Why," the pup asked, "I thought that you said you didn't do anything."

"I didn't, but the dog that I refused set me up."

"Oh," the young dog said, "I understand now, she was jealous."

Balto nodded his head.

"I didn't have any proof before, but I forgot all about talking to Jake."

"Let's go find him," the pup said.

"It's too late to go right now," Balto said. "we'll go first thing in the morning."

"Great," the young dog said.

Balto smiled.

"Thanks kid," he said.

Then the two of them walked up the steps together.

Chapter VIII

First thing the next morning, Balto and the young pup went into Nome to the barn where all of the sled teams that were just passing through stayed, kind of a doggie hotel, of sorts.

Balto walked over to one of the dogs that hung out there, just to chat with the newcomers.

"Hi Kelli," he said.

"Balto," glad to see you decided to stay, I heard all that about you and that Trinea."

"You did huh?" Balto said.

"Yeah, how could Jenna believe something like that? She should know you better. I do."

Balto smiled.

"That's good to hear," Balto said, "at least someone believes me."

She smiled back at him.

"You're a good dog Balto, I wish there was something I could do to help."

"Well," Balto said, "there may be, I talked to this dog, name of Jake, the night that Trinea says I…"

He didn't know quite how to put it.

"You know," he said.

"Anyway I talked to him, he saw me refuse her. He stopped me to tell me I'd done the right thing. I'd forgotten all about it until last night."

"Jake, huh?" Kelli said.

"Yeah," Balto responded.

"Well, I think I saw a… yes I saw a dog by that name, kind of an older fellow?"

"Yes," Balto said, "please tell me you know where he is."

Kelli winced.

"Sorry Balto, but they left out yesterday morning, he said they were going home, but didn't say where."

"Oh," Balto said.

"I'm sorry," Kelli said.

"That's alright Kelli," he said, "well I'll see ya around."

"Alright Balto," Kelli responded.

Balto turned and walked away.

"So?" The young dog asked.

"Jake left yesterday, and didn't say where he was going, just that he was going home."

"Oh," the young dog said.

"But I think I know where they're going. I once said I'd do anything, even give up my own life to be with Jenna. I guess someone up there wants me to prove it. I guess walking to Fairbanks isn't that bad."

"Fairbanks!" The young dog said, "that's like seven hundred miles away!"

"Jenna's worth it," Balto said.

"True," the young dog replied.

"Well let's get going then," the young pup said.

"Yeah I guess I better," Balto said. "You can stay in the boat; you'll be okay until I get back right?"

The young dog smiled.

"Are you kidding, miss out