 The challenge of the Yukon. It's King, swiftest and strongest lead dog of the North Country, raising the trail for Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police in his relentless pursuit of lawbreakers. And King, run! Gold, gold, discovered in the Yukon, a stampede of the Klondike and the greedy race for riches. Back to the days of the Gold Rush, when Sergeant Preston and his wonder dog King battled through storm and snow to preserve law and order as they mapped the challenge of the Yukon. The long Yukon winter was nearly over. The snow was melting rapidly. And when Remdy Clark, the Yukon trading company's crack driver, started south with a sled load of gold, he knew he would have to travel night and day to reach the company's headquarters in Whitehorse before the trail became impassable. On the first night out from Dawson, just after he had passed Eagle Rock, a man stepped out on the trail ahead of him. A code of the Yukon made it impossible to pass the stranger by, but Remdy checked his gun before he called out to the team to stop. Oh, hold on, boy! Hold on! Howdy, mister. I have a chance to ride with you to the next week. Not a chance in the world. Is that a way to treat a traveler? The greater the doors can pull in this way. You must weigh nearly 250 pounds. I'll pay you well. Also, it's against the company rules. I just can't do it. Okay, if that's the way you feel about it. I'm sorry, stranger. Another man had detached himself from the shadow of Eagle Rock and had moved silently toward Remdy. He was directly behind him as the young driver started to release his brake. And then... Nice work, yeah. Time for congratulations will come later after we have finished this business. It won't take long to get the slip from behind the rock and switch the door to it. He must be well on your way before this teller wakes up. I will be, don't worry. It was nearly half an hour later when Remdy opened his eyes. He was lying on his sled, and the furrow that then pulled over him. Oh, hey. What happened? I do not know, my friend. I found you lying beside your sled. You have hit your head. It means somebody hit it for me. Oh, and they got the gold. You have been robbed? I'll say I have. Twenty-five thousand dollars in dust. You carry so much. I work for the Yukon Trading Company. I'm supposed to be able to take care of myself. You have all the stupid numbskulls to fall for a trick like that. A trick? Well, it's not much to me while the other comes up behind me and knocks me out. Never mind. You will follow these cooks, perhaps. What it be the use? How can you follow a trail in this slice of mud? No, I'll get back to Dawson as fast as I can and report to the police. Monsieur, I am going to Dawson. Is it possible for me to travel with you? I don't know. Why not? I haven't got any cargo now. Sure, climb on board. Let's see. It's a good idea. You can be a witness to what happens. Oh, it's pleasure. My name is Pierre Reno. I'm Randy Clark. Get around there, Borneo. I know where we're going back to town. All right, come on. All right, get lost. It was not until late the following afternoon that Randy and the Frenchman reached Dawson. They stopped at the Yukon Trading Company store to pick up Kurt Edgar, the local manager. Then drove on to the northwest-mounted police headquarters where Randy told his story to Sergeant Preston. When he had finished... Oh, I want to check this description of the man who stopped you, Randy. He was sure he was six foot four. Easy. He was at least two inches tall at nine. And about 250 pounds. About? Black beard, nose that had been broken. Yeah, and a scar along the side of his mouth. I have that. Wearing a black and white parka. That's right, Sergeant. Didn't you see the man who hit you at all? If you'd only taken a guard along with you, this wouldn't have happened. All right, all right. Why didn't you, Randy? Because I didn't want anybody riding this sled with a trail in the condition of it. I didn't think I'd make it to White Horse with the extra weight. Probably wouldn't have. Oh, uh, not here. How is that, huh? You didn't see this man in the black and white parka, did you? Yeah, I did. You did? Yes, Randy. Well, why didn't you say something about it before? Where? When? I found. I have been hoping you would think better of your plan. Huh? That you would decide not to go through with it. Oh, would tell the truth. Why, I have told the truth. Just what are you driving at, Pierre? Sergeant. Yes? Last night I'm coming from the country where I trapped and I hit the Yukon Trail at Eagle Rock. That's what I understood and you found Randy. Wait. As I near the trail, I could see two men and two slabs. Good. You're not only saw the man in the black and white parka, but the one who hit me. You can give the sergeant a description. Did you not realize that it is no use to lie anymore? Lie? There were two men, one big with their beard wearing a black and white parka. The other one was you, Randy. I don't get it. If you were there, then why don't you... I was there. I was in the shadow of the rocks. But because of what I heard, I did not throw myself. What did you hear? Randy was saying to the other man, you have the gold and you know what to take it. We will split later. What are you talking about? You've got it all mixed up. I know it, Randy. But you don't see, sir. I'm beginning to see a lot of things. Go on and finish, Pierre. Oh, Randy said it must look like I put up a fight here. He must hit me with a butterfly or a revolver. That's a lie. Why are you doing it all night? I demand your protection if I have to continue. Take it easy, Randy. It's crazy. I want to hear the end of this. What happened then, Pierre? Well, the big man hit Randy and Randy fell down. And the big one drove off with the gold and woods to the south. I give up. Well, whether Randy has really knocked out, I do not know, but I stayed there. And he did a little while before he opened his eyes. Then he told me a fine story about two men beating him up. And you pretended to believe him? Kurt, you're not swallowing this story, are you? I haven't decided. In answer to your question, I pretended to believe you. I asked for a ride to Dawson. I thought, Pierre, you had better keep an eye on this fellow. But, Randy, I do not believe you are a bad boy. This is a mistake only. Perhaps if you tell me, sir, where his gold is, he will forgive you. You dirty little rat. I'm a rat because I tell the truth. Every word of it's a lie. What are you doing trying to send me to jail? I'm hoping you will not have to go there. You don't have to, Randy. What? You can have your chance. Tell me where the gold is, tell the sergeant where your partner is, and the company won't press charges. I don't know where the gold is. I haven't got any partner. That's a fine thing to talk about pressing charges. I've been driving for the company ever since it opened up here. And if you don't believe me, instead of this half-baked friendship. Then because of your record that I am prepared to be lenient, Randy. But Kurt, don't you... You can make up your mind. Take it or leave it. I don't know where the gold is. You better change your mind about that. How can I? All right. That's your last word to arrest him, sergeant. You're sure you want to charge him with robbery on the basis of pure testimony? Randy gives me no choice. You can't arrest him. I have to. Kurt insists on it. But it will be a jury that decides whether you're guilty or not. I'm only doing my duty. And sergeant, I'm insisting that you do yours. You'll have to swear out a warrant. I will. Then what happens? I'm sorry, Randy. Then you go to jail. And it was into the jail that sergeant Preston brought Karen Edgar to see Randy that evening. Karen, young, beautiful, very much in love with Randy was Kurt Edgar's niece. Her eyes were troubled, but she managed to smile at Randy when she and the sergeant reached his cell. Darling, I had to come and tell you that I don't believe a word of it. Thanks, Karen. And I don't understand why Kurt should take that Frenchman's wording preference to yours. I'm beginning to understand. You are? Yes. But I don't want to say anything about it. Why, Randy? What reason could there be? You won't like my reason. Well, I want to hear it anyway. You know as well as I do that Kurt's in debt. I know that he's lost money, but he's paid off his debt. Yes. Yes. I wonder how. His salary isn't very large. You're not suggesting that Kurt... I don't know what I'm suggesting. I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just innocent, and that's all there is to it. But when it comes to a jury... He has some victim, can they, Sergeant? Well, let's hope not, Karen. When will his trial come up? Not for a week. The judge is in 40 miles. In the meantime, I'm going to try and find that man, the black and white Parker, and the gold. Do you think there's any chance, Randy? Oh, of course, Randy. If anyone saw him, they'd remember him. King and I will start out first thing in the morning. Oh, please, Sergeant, please find him. All I can promise is we'll do our best. There's more than a chance to see you a week's a long time. The man in the black and white Parker was much nearer than any of the three imagined it. His name was Brad Peters, and he was sitting in the office of the Yukon trading company's store with Kurt Edgar and Pierre Renault. And it was straight to the store that Karen walked when she left the jail. The door was locked, but she had a key. The door was dark, but she could see a light in her uncle's office. She had decided to plead with Kurt once more to withdraw his charges against Randy. She tried the door of the office, found it locked. She was about to knock when she realized there was an argument going on inside. Why are you so nervous, Brad? Doesn't matter if I share the goal, I want to get out of here. How will you give Kurt a chance to make sure it's all there? I shouldn't be all there. If I was going to keep any, I'd have kept it all. You would have found it unwise. I want to get out of here. You will head straight for the border, I suppose. As fast as I can get there. Let me tell you, that is impossible. Why? You've accused young Clark of the robberies in jail. You'll stay there until his trial comes up. Oh, very true. But you're forgetting, Sergeant has your description. There is nothing we can do about it. Randy saw you, even if he didn't see me. And the police will be looking for you. You must lie low for a few days. We will find some way to get you out of the country. But you must give us time. Where can I hide out? I have the place. And the goal is all here. Good. Now we can get down to business. 25,000. Now 10,000 goes back in the company safe to make up what I'm short. We spent the other 15,000 three ways. You'll share that. Now wait a minute. What for? I've decided you're being unfair, Kurt. What do you mean? That was our agreement. That no matter how I reason, it seems to me that you're getting three times as much as you know Brad or me. No, I'm getting the same. 15,000 and 5,000. Three times as much. You know I'm short. You know I've got to make it up. But why out of our pockets? Your own business if you stole money from the company. Your own business if you want to put it back. I am prepared to be generous, Kurt. Because you planned this thing. You may pay your debt in full. You may have 10,000. The rest goes to Brad and me. Not in your life. It is fair. Is it not, Brad? Sure. You're right, Kurt. And may I remind you that we are two against one. I know you're nothing. You see that gun? It evens the odds. You're a smooth talker, Pierre, but you made an agreement and you're going to stick to it. Your share is 5,000. Do I understand you correctly? You would shoot me if I disagreed? You got it right. You can have 5,000 and nothing. And in that case, I will accept the 5,000. You satisfied, Brad? Hey, what's that? Why? I heard something out in the store. There's nobody out there. I heard a noise. That's a rat. I'm going to make sure about that. It didn't sound like rats to me. Karen had heard enough. She had started for the front door, but she'd stumbled across a packing case and fallen to the floor. And now, as Brad threw open the door of the office, he saw her scrambling to her feet. It's the girls. She's heading for the front door. Black and white park. What? Like dogs. I'm getting out of here. Who is it, Kurt? It's my niece. Uncle Kurt. Take her into my office. Hey, come on. How did she get in here? She works here. She has a key. She heard us talking. Oh, maybe you... I heard enough. You little fool. Little fool? But no, Kurt. A little beauty. Shut the door. Sit down, Karen. All that gold on your desk. That's what was stolen from Randy by that man in Pierre. And you were the one who planned it, Uncle Kurt. How could you? I had to. I owed Tex Clark $10,000. And I had a pay-in if I wanted to stay healthy. I took the money from the company's funds, and it had to be put back. By feelings? No one will ever know that. Oh, yes they will. You can't get away with it. Karen, you wouldn't go to the police with what you know, would you? The first chance I get, Kurt. I love Randy. We're going to be married. Do you think I'll let you send him to jail? That's sad of you. And you. Sergeant Preston has your description. And he's going out after you. You won't get away, that's for sure. Oh, you two gave my description. Randy gave it to him. I'm getting out of here. I won't do you any good. You'd better make sure this girl doesn't talk, Kurt. I intend to. You wouldn't do it. I'll do anything. I have to protect myself. Now wait. Let me suggest that drastic measures are not necessary yet. I prefer not to be mixed up in them. Let's keep our heads and think calmly. It's only necessary to prevent the girl from interfering without land. Well, now it's a better idea for Brad to hide out for a while and get out of the country. Now where can I do that? You don't expect me to stay in Dawson. No. I have a cabin on the other side of the Yukon. It's hidden in the hills directly across from here. It's the perfect place. It's dangerous to cross the Yukon now. The ice is rotten. We're almost ready for the break-up. There's an ice jam below town that stretches from shore to shore. It is very solid like a bridge. You can cross that in perfect safety. No. Okay. Tell me where the cabin is. Draw me some kind of a map. I'm doing that right now. But you will not go there alone, Brad. Well, if you're coming too, I did not say that. You will take the girl with you. Oh, no! It is all right with you, Kurt. It's fine with me. And you, Brad, is very pretty. Yes. I won't go with you. You can't fuck with me. That's what you're wrong, sister. You'll do just what I say and like it. I'm not as squeaky as he does it for you. Here's the map. I want my gold. Here you are. Good. As well that you get started at once. I won't go with you. No! I'm... Kurt! Give yourself. Yes. And don't open your mouth when we get outside, or I'll shut you up with his gun. Come on. We will keep in touch with you. Kurt, say what you do. Why do you look so worried, Kurt? That doesn't settle anything. For the time being. If he ever gets free, she'll go straight to the police. Of course. Why not get rid of her right now? Why not get rid of several people right now? Huh? The Northwest Mounted Police always get their men. Brad is not smart enough to evade Sergeant Preston for long. If he's caught, it'll be too bad for him. I know that. Then why not get rid of him too and Sergeant Preston? Preston? All three will die. It will seem to be an accident. Let me tell you by idea, Kurt. It is so simple. And there will be no risk. In Sergeant Preston's cabin, King was watching his master pack his saddlebag. He knew this meant the sergeant would soon be hitting the trail. It also meant that he would not be using the dog team. The great dog whimpered his concern. Yes, King. I'll be writing this for you. That doesn't mean you'll be left behind. You can come along, sir. Come in. Sergeant. Oh, hello, Kurt. Pierre and I just saw the man in the black and white pocket. It is true. What do you mean, here in town? Just below town where the ice is all jammed up across the river. He was crossing over to the other bank. I'll go after him. Karen's with him. What? There was a girl with him, and I'm sure it was Karen. Naturally, she wouldn't have gone with him willingly, but I can only guess what might have happened. She knew we were looking for this man. She saw him, recognized him, tried to stop him. Well, I don't know what. I was going after them myself. But Pierre wanted me to come here. That man in the black and white pocket is dangerous. I'm sorry. I want no pocket trying to capture him. That's my job. You can trail him, can't you, King? Yes, boy. Come on, let's go. Sergeant Preston and King hurried through the town and down to the river where the large ice flows piled one on top of the other, formed a natural bridge from one side of the Yukon to the other. They ran across it. On the far side, the sergeant found the fresh tracks left by the man and girl in the melting snow. Now, they are King. One's bite. I don't have any trouble following them. The trail led into the low hills west of the river. Half an hour later, they saw a lamp shining through the window of a small log cabin. The tracks led directly to the door, and the sergeant did not hesitate. Quiet, now, boy. They want to take him by surprise. Get your sergeant. No, he didn't. Oh, he's ridiculous. I thought it certainly fits around his description. He's a man who swapped him, all right? His name is Brad Peters. You're under arrest, Peters. They have the gold here. Tell me his share. Oh, Sergeant, how did you get here? Your uncle saw the tour of you crossing the ice, and they ported it to hand-ported it. My uncle? Well, that dirty double-crosser. What's that? I'll have to tell you, Sergeant. Uncle Kurt's just as guilty as this man is. Broad and Pierre were the two who committed the robbery. Yeah, right. But it was Kurt who planned the whole thing. The rest of the gold is in his office. How do you know that? I saw it, and I heard them talking. They caught me listening. And then Pierre and Kurt persuaded them to take me over here and hold me prisoners. Karen, are you willing to testify against your uncle? Yes, I am. After the way he treated me and Randy, I don't owe him any loyalty. Even if he did. How? Well, the fact that he sent you after me made me look like he had a change of heart. I doubt that, Karen. It wasn't for your sake, he sent me after you. He wanted to get rid of me. He hoped you'd kill me. There may be even more to it than that. We'll find out soon enough. I'll bandage your arm, Peter. Yeah. And we'll start back to the other side of the river. As soon as the arm was bandaged, Karen, the sergeant and his prisoner headed through the hills once more toward the river. Meanwhile, Kurt and Pierre were preparing to carry out the Frenchman's plan. As soon as the Mountie left headquarters, they had gone to the store, picked up blasting powder and a coil of fuse. Their next stop was the middle of the ice bridge, spanning the Yukon. They set the charge, connected the fuse, and brought the end of it back to the Dawson side of the river. Then, behind the cover of some rocks, they waited. How long has he been gone? Two hours. Hmm. It is possible that Brad will give him plenty of trouble. Brad's no match for the Mountie. But if he doesn't bring him back before dawn this day, he may not work. Then why not? Somebody might come out from town and see us here. That's still plenty of time. We will be the only witnesses. We will go back to headquarters and report how they were caught in the break-up up the way down the street. It's fine as long as they start crossing before dawn. Hmm. I only wish that you have your wish. Look, look, the other bank. Where? The Grand Pointing. It's the three of them, starting your car. Light the fuse. It burns fast. They're far enough, I'm sure. It's not yet. That's Brad in front of us. We? Mountie's behind helping the girl. Brad's been hurt. He's got his arm in the sling. If he only liked that fuse, it will not bother him for, um, okay? No chance of her getting back now. As the fuse burned toward the charge of blasting powder, Brad, Karen, and the sergeant with King at his master's heels were nearing the middle of the river. Get to the left, Brad. There's open water on the downstream side. You want me to fall in? You'll find the going easier. Now, pick my own trail. All right, Karen. Whoa! King saw the fluttering light of the fuse traveling toward them across the top of the ice bridge. He watched his concern and the sergeant looked ahead. Brad, that's a fact. What's the matter now? That's fire on the ice. It looks like it must be a fuse. It must be. It must be. Now, I'm beginning to understand. Curt and Pierre have set a trap, and we've walked right into it. What do you mean? They've set a charge of dynamite ahead of us. They're going to blow up the ice jam. That fuse has gone out. It has not. It's reached the charge. Get down! Blasting powder. The middle of the ice jam was lifted high on the air, and then the whole bridge began to break up. The huge piece of ice the sergeant and Karen were crossing started to slide free of the jam into the water. Keep down. Don't try to stand up. We're going into the water. All right. This ice flow is as good as a raft. It'll hold us. Where's Frank? There he is. There he is. Holding on to the edge. I'll give him a hand. One park or around it. The ice flow starts moving downstream, along with many others, from shore to shore. Sergeant, you're right. This ice isn't as good as any raft. Of course. You and I could make it. I don't know about drag. I want to make now. Just close. I don't really get going. That freeze to death. Good idea. Won't be long, because there'll be a lot of open water between the flows. Let's go, Pat. The ice flow is free of the jam. We're still so close together that they formed a floating bridge to the shore. Brad started toward it, followed by Karen and the sergeant, and King brought up the rear. I'm a bank. Kurt and Pierre watched them. Look at that. I can see they'll get here. When they do, the sergeant will arrest us. Now Karen's told them all about you and me. They must stop them if they're from getting here. How? You have a rifle? Use it. I'll go to jail for murder. All this noise, who were here shot? If they drown, it will never be found out that you've been murdered. But quickly shoot. Shoot for the mountain first. I can't get a beat on him from here. I'll have to move downstream. I'll do it in fast. Come on. King saw the men on the bank first. What is it, King? Somebody asked the question. He saw a flash of fire. Get down. They're shooting at us from the bank. Shoot him. Get down, Karen. They thought they'd blow us into the water, and that didn't work. They're using a rifle. What can we do, sergeant? Keep down. How long? Go and get those men. Understand, boy? What can we do, sergeant? You can keep them so busy, Karen. They won't have time to shoot at us. Come on, boy. He's off and away toward the shore. In the middle of the ice, and Curt and Pierre never saw him. From one ice flow to another, he leaps in soon. He was crambling up the bank, downstream from Curt and Pierre. Silently, swiftly, he moved toward them. It was the man with the gun he must get. He crouched on the bank above him. Then as the man raised the gun to his shoulder, once more, he leaped. He recognized the new danger and hurled himself at the present. Friendly, Pierre tried to beat off the attack. Using the right was a club. King was too fast for him. Soon he was unable to do more than protect himself from King's charges. Curt was shouting, Run! Captain Murray, you poor cat. I'm going to do all I can to send you to jail for the rest of your lives. You'll get a chance to give evidence for the crown, Brad. And it might lighten your own sentence a little. But right now, all of you are going to jail. Move along. Come on, Karen. Watch him, King. Watch him, boy. Randy had been freed. He found Karen waiting for him, in the sergeant's office. I'm fine. Don't feel too badly about Karen. No, I don't. Somehow it seems like a stranger. I never knew the man who could do the things he's done tonight. Hold me close, Randy. Oh, I sure will. As long as you and I now. Looks to me, King. That's the case. We'll begin next week to another exciting adventure during the days of the Gold Rock. Graham came to you from Detroit. He'll let us in on the title of the famous Miss Heal at least. Sing it for us. Well, that I can't do, Doug, but I'll tell you what. To identify, how doesn't it? It's fun to do for the partnership throughout the nation. Stop the music on the ABC station. It's Sunday evening over this same ABC station. Broadcasting Company.