The Runaway Adventures

Chapter 18:Search for the Puppies

Hurrying away from Tony's, the parents knew that they had no time to lose and that they had to save their puppies from Cruella as soon as possible.

"Well, now we know that our puppies aren't out on the streets anymore," Tramp told the other parents. "So we have to find out where Cruella lives."

"I have an idea," Pongo suggested. "There's always the Twilight Bark. We'll be sure to get help that way."

"What is the..." Lady asked, but Perdita interrupted. "This isn't London, Pongo... are you sure there is a Twilight Bark here?"

"Well Perdy, we can always try," Pongo replied, and then abruptly, he issued a few booming barks that echoed through town.

The parents waited, hearing only crickets chirping while waiting for a response. Then, in the distance, Pongo heard an answer. He wagged his tail excitedly.

"We're in luck!" Pongo told the others excitedly, listening to the bark. "Let's see... they're telling us to go to 55 Chestnut Road for information. Come on!" And the parents ran toward the house, following the bark. They passed a few streets and then arrived at Chestnut Road. Only one light was on at the street, and just as the parents suspected, it was at 55 Chestnut Road. Waiting for them on its porch was an enormous light grey dog with a very thick coat. He stood there with a gleaming, gold collar on.

"Hey! It's Boris!" Tramp declared in surprise.

"Well well well, it's the Tramp," Boris told him happily in his thick Russian accent. Then he looked down. "Why, it's the little bublichki... are you his girl then?"

"Yes, I am," Lady happily told Boris. She was pleased to see that Tramp happily nodded along with her, and that Peg slightly smiled and also nodded.

"Ah, that's wonderful," Boris smiled. Then he looked back at Lady again. "Pardon to say it, but I never learned your name," Boris told Lady.

"My name's Lady," Lady smiled. Then he looked down at Peg and smiled at his old inmate. "And how are you doing, Peg?"

"All right, Boris," Peg told him gently.

"And you must be the famous Dalmatians," Boris told Pongo and Perdita. "You have all come to the right place."

Boris looked out at the streets for a few seconds before saying, "So if I'm thinking correctly, all of you must be the parents and you are talking about some missing puppies?" Boris asked. Seeing nods, Boris answered, "Well, from what I can recall, I saw a funny, small red car with some puppies in it..."

"Yeah, that sounds right," Peg told them. "The car I saw was quite a snazzy, rich car...oh I think I remember the license number."

"You do?" Perdita asked hopefully. "What is it?"

"Something like...002BADUN," Peg answered.

Pongo and Perdita looked at each other significantly. Perdita muttered, "Badun... that's Horace and Jasper. But..."

"Who are they?" Lady asked.

"Cruella's minions," Perdita answered shortly.

The parents looked at each other. Then they turned to Boris, and Pongo asked him, "Where did you see that car go off to?"

Boris thought about it for a moment, then he told them, "Well, I saw the car on the main street when I was out on my walk. Go back into town to follow. It was going due north straight ahead on that main street. But I didn't see the car stop. I never saw the car before or since. I'm afraid that is all I saw, the car disappeared into the distance. I talked about it to some neighbor dogs, but they didn't know either. Nobody ever saw that car before or since."