When the jobs of the mail dogs depend on a race against an airplane, Balto sees their odds of winning to be impossible and guiltily refuses to lead the team. Kodi nearly loses hope when a former champion named Steele offers to take Balto's place in...
The sky was bright over Nome the next day. Nearly the entire town had gathered behind the church, where the race would begin. Sunlight gleamed upon the silver wings of the bush plane, where the pilot sat ready to take off. Across from the plane, Mr. Simpson was checking that every dog was ready. At the head of the team, Steele stepped into his harness, puffing out his chest confidently as the musher gave him a pat on the head.
Nome's postman, Mr. Connor, was in the center of the crowd explaining the race to the townspeople. The sled team and the bush plane would make the journey to White Mountain, exchanging their mail bag for another. Whoever returned to Nome first would win. If the dogs won, they would keep their jobs. If the plane won, the pilot would take over the job.
Balto sat by the sidelines with Jenna, Dixie, and Sylvie. He watched solemnly as the mail team barked excitedly around Steele, bubbling with confidence. Kodi caught Balto's eye once, but immediately looked away. He's angry with me. Angrier than ever.
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"Aw, cheer up Balto." Sylvie looked at him sympathetically. "Kodi'll come around."
Her pomeranian companion, Dixie, gave a sniff. "Yeah, he'll see that Steele is positively terrible!"
"I hope you're right," Balto muttered. Jenna leaned against him reassuringly.
They watched as Mr. Connor fired the starting pistol, and Mr. Simpson raised his voice. "Mush!" The dogs took off with the sled, Steele in the lead kicking up slush and snow behind him. Beyond them, the plane engine rumbled.
"Good luck, Kodi!" Jenna called as they neared, but the red husky ignored her and pelted by. The townspeople cheered and bid them farewell and wishes of luck. Balto watched until the sled team vanished into the mountains and the plane soared overhead into the distance.
Mel and Dipsy joined them, Dipsy chewing on beef jerky. "You think they've got a chance?" She mumbled. "I've heard good things about that Steele guy."
"I've heard a lot of bad things too!" Mel whimpered and sank onto to the snow, covering his head with his paws. "That dog's up to no good, I tell you!"
Dipsy sighed. "I love your optimism, Mel."
The crowd had begun to disperse. Jenna looked at Balto, who hadn't moved. "Come on, Balto." She said quietly. "All we can do now is hope for the best."
"I can't just sit around and wait for them to return." Balto looked down thoughtfully. I need to prepare... I need to find someone who knows Steele... He looked over his shoulder into town. And I know some dogs who know him better than anyone.
***
"So Steele wants to get back at me by turning Kodi against me." The sun was setting now, casting long shadows across the buildings. Between two of them, Balto sat across from three malamutes: Kaltag, Nikki, and Star.
