On the eve of Christmas, Spur, Trusty, and Jock headed over to Tramp's house for a Christmas photo. The biting wind blew bitter snow into their faces.

Spur hadn't seen Tramp's family in years and he was never in a Christmas photo before. He felt like a very exhilarated and hyper pup. 

Jock  got a new plaid sweater that he adored although he thought it was a bit scratchy. He didn't really mind much. He enjoyed plaid (he's a Scottish terrier what would you expect?). 

Finally, the trio of dogs arrived at their destination and walked onto the small walkway.                                                                                                                                          Jock noticed a small strand of mistletoe that hung on the porch roof. He smiled. He always loved Christmas time. He was the exact opposite of Ebenezor. 

"Hey look Pa, it's Uncle Trusty, Uncle Jock, AND Uncle Spur!" Scamp exclaimed to his father happily. His delicate little tail wagged rapidly while his pink tongue hung out of his mouth. 

"Spur?" Tramp asked his excited son as he glanced at the fogged window. 

"Yeah Pop! He's standing next to Uncle Trusty!" Scamp joyfully replied to his father. Tramp saw Spur walking beside Trusty. 

"I haven't seen Spur in ages." Tramp said smiling.

The triad of dogs stepped onto the slushy snowy green porch. 

Jock leaped through the little doggy door. It was no trouble for him. After all, he's a small Scottish Terrier, but Spur and Trusty had difficulty getting through as they squeezed their soft bodies through. Any old bloodhound would have trouble getting through a small dog door. 

"Jim Dear, Trusty is stuck!" Darling said to her husband. 

"Trusty's stuck? We must get pull him in, Darling."

Darling agreed. Jim opened the door and tried pushing Trusty through while Darling held onto the bloodhound's velvety tummy and pulled him in. 

Trusty whimpered. Not because he was being hurt being pushed and pulled, but the sharp edges of the dog door scratched him. 

At last, Trusty got through the dog door while Spur went through the main door.                                                                                                                   "Well it's about time lad. Are you alright?" asked Jock.                                      "I'm fine." reassured Trusty. He actually lied a bit. His stomach still hurt but he didn't want to complain.

"I've never met Spur before, Scamp." Angel whispered to her friend.

"He already knows about you. He'll probably say 'Oh and you must be Angel. I've heard so much about you'" Scamp said imitating Spur trying to sound like an old dog.

Angel giggled a bit and nudged her friend. 

Annette, Colette, and Danielle rushed up to their uncles to greet them. 

"Uncle Spur! Uncle Trusty! Uncle Jock!" they chanted.

Spur slowly walked up to Angel.

"Oh and you must be Angel, I've heard so much about you." he told her smiling. Spur walked back over to his nieces. 

"Told you." Scamp muttered under his breath.

"Aye lad," Jock said to Scamp "Don't unravel this sweater it's brand new. You remember what you did as a pup?"

"Jock, Scamp still is a pup." Tramp said cutting into the conversation. 

"Aye lad I suppose you're right. I meant a young pup."

"What is he talking about?" Angel quietly questioned Scamp.

"When I was really young. And I mean REALLY young. I took the end of Jock's sweater and uhh, umm." Scamp didn't know what to say. He didn't want to embarrass himself. 

"Let me guess, you unraveled the whole thing?" Angel assumed. 

"Yeah, pretty much." Scamp replied. Scamp was very relieved that he didn't have to say it.

The dogs all crowded around the toasty fireplace.

"Did we ever tell you about the time I fell in love?" Spur asked the dogs.

"And when we were chased by street dog?" Trusty added.

"No Uncle Trusty." the trio of nieces replied as they always would. 

"No Uncle Spur." Scamp and Angel responded.

" No Spur." returned Tramp and Lady.

"Well, I believe it's the time we did." Trusty said.

"Well, when we were pups," Spur started the story "Trusty and I would always go take a walk in the streets after we sniffed down criminals. I believe it was the spring of '02.  

Trusty's Gran-pappy, Ol' Reliable was at home and he knew we would be careful be ourselves. Suddenly, we ran into a street dog.

He had blood shot eyes and black and brown scruffy fur. He had a hole in his right ear. Perhaps from a rifle bullet.

He snarled at us showing his massive teeth.

'Get out of here or I'll kill you' he growled. We ran as fast as we could. We were in the alleys and there was no place for us to hide. The fearsome mutt dashed after us and-" 

"Well, what happened?" Danielle asked cocking her head to the side.

"I'll tell you. The mutt snapped at our tails and nearly bit mine off.

Like I said, Trusty and I were still pups and our bones were still a bit delicate. He ran at us faster and faster so we ran into busy traffic. It was the only thing we could do.

Surprisingly, the dog catcher came and sped up to catch us. He caught all of us and through us in the back. He didn't even notice our collars!

'Help! Help!' Trusty and I yelped. We knew we would be dead meat.

The dog growled and slowly came closer and closer to us. But then, a greyhound darted and was at the car's tail. He-"

"Uncle Spur, cars don't have tails." Danielle corrected Spur. She thought she was so smart. 

"When I said the car's tail, it means that the greyhound was right behind the car." Spur defended. 

"Oh. Now I get it." Danielle finally understood. She didn't think she was so smart after all. She sighed and was quiet.

"And stop interrupting your Uncle!" Tramp growled at his daughter. 

"Now back to the story.  The greyhound jumped on the back of the car and opened the door. He struck the mutt and that mean old dog ran away. We thanked the greyhound. We asked what his name was. He said his name was Snap. Snap took a walk with us. And he introduced us to his friend, Belle. A french dog! She was a beautiful Brittany. She had soft brown ears, white fur and a brown spot on her left eye.

I fell in love with her. Often, I would go to Francois' to get her a chocolate eclair. She always loved those eclairs.

We took walks together. Of course Trusty came too. But sometimes at night or real' early in the morning, Belle and I would take walks. And sometimes we would walk all the way to Westport! We would go to the Compo beach, steal people's food and have a nice picnic of our own.

In the summer time when low tide came along, we would wade in the water and walk the rocky jetties." he sighed. "I miss those days."

"What ever happened to Belle?" Scamp asked.

"Good question Scampers. Belle was kidnapped. I ran after the kidnapper but he punched me and threw me into the pavement.

I was bleeding."

"Yuck!" the little trio of cockers said.

Spur ignored them and continued his story"

I was limping. A veterinarian found me and she brought me home. I luckily recovered but I never saw Belle again."

Spur sighed again.  He missed Belle dearly and would do anything to just see her one more time. The pups hugged him. They felt sorry for their uncle.

Scamp knew what love was like. He couldn't imagine losing it.

Trusty spoke up.

"I have something to confess Spur." Trusty sighed. It would be hard for him to say this.

"What Trusty?" Spur asked. He expected it was nothing serious. Spur was wrong.                        

"I used to like Belle." Trusty confessed. Everyone stared at him in awe.                                           "You what, Trusty?" Spur said almost growling.                                                                                 "I used to like Belle." Trusty repeated.                                                                                              "Well, I don't blame you Trusty. I can't, you're my friend. And you have to admit, she was very beautiful." Spur said.                                                                                                                         "She definitely lived up to her name." Trusty added.                                                                         "You got that right ol' pal." agreed Spur.                                                                                           "So, you guys aren't mad at each other?" Scamp asked.                                                                 "No of course not. We never blame each other. Have you ever gotten mad at your friend?" Spur asked.                                                                                                                                               "Once. But it's a long story." Scamp disagreed with his uncle. Scamp didn't really want to talk about it. Nor did Angel.                                                         "We forgave each other." added Angel.                                                                                               "Oh, so you were involved with this?" Spur asked.                                                                                 "Yes, but-" Angel said                                                                                                                            "I'm through with this!" howled Scamp as he dashed out the door.

Scamp always dreaded fighting and getting in trouble. How could his own uncle do that to him on Christmas eve! He ran as fast and far as he could.                                                                                                                                 "I'll get him, Tramp." reassured Angel. Angel rushed outside. "Tenderfoot! Scamp! Scamp?" she called out. She heard no response, only her echo. Scamp could hear her, but ignored her. He still dashed through the frigid snow. The wind kept pulling him back.

Angel ran. She could see a glimpse of Scamp. "Scamp!" she yelled.            

"Angel?" he hollered back "I thought my dad was after me."                                                              "It's just me Tenderfoot. You're dad's at the house. C'mon. Let's go back home." Angel persuaded.

Scamp knew he had to go back so he trotted along with his friend with her head under his. They nudged each other. They arrived at home. 

"Angel," Scamp said.

"Yes, Scamp." Angel said.

"I think we're more than friends." Scamp told her. Angel nodded her head in agreement.                    

Angel licked Scamp's muzzle under the mistletoe and they smiled at each other.

They headed inside.               

 "Scamp, what happened?" Tramp asked his son. Tramp was getting worried.  He couldn't have his on away on Christmas. It wouldn't be Christmas without his only son. Plus, the Christmas photo would be shot tonight! Scamp HAD to be in the Christmas photo.

"I don't know. I guess something just, came over me." Scamp replied. Tramp was glad to have his son back home.              

Jim Dear took the Christmas Photo.                                                                          Tramp and Lady were nudging each other, same with Angel and Scamp. Annette, Colette, Danielle were hugging Trusty and Jock and Junior was hugging Spur.                                                                                                     Afterwards, Junior was put to bed and Spur, Trusty, and Jock left to go home.  Then, the girls and Lady went into their bed, and Scamp and Tramp went to bed too.                                                                                                               The dogs drifted off to sleep so, Jim Dear and Darling turned off the lights.                               The End