 The challenge of the Yukon King the swiftest strongest of Eskimo lead dogs blazes the trail through storm and snow for Sergeant Preston as he meets the challenge of the Yukon. Sergeant Preston was typical of the small band of northwest mounted police who preserved law and order in the Yukon during the gold rush of 98. That was the year that brought over 50,000 men swarming into the Klondike region and the greed for gold led to frequent violence and bloodshed. But in spite of the odds against them the force preserved a splendid record in maintaining the right. The challenge of the north was answered and justice ruled triumphant. It was early afternoon and Sergeant Preston was on patrol duty in the Yukon with his lead dog the Great King. The snow was swept clean from much of the land and Preston had left his sled and team in town. What is it King? Alright King you lead the way. Going after something but I can't make out what it is. He's following a scent. It'll be a good idea to see what it leads to. Alright boy I'm coming. Yes I see King. Footprints huh? Well that's strange. Snow's partially covered those tracks. It's worth investigating. The winds swept this land clean. The tracks stop. King old fellow you'll have to lead from here on. That cave over there? Is that where you're going King? Well King you've never been wrong before. Whatever's in that cave must be pretty important. This is one place we've missed on our patrols King. Use some wood. Someone uses this cave. What for? These pelts. Fox, lynx, beaver. Why they're beautiful. Trapper uses this cave for storerooms certainly got a fortune in first. One man couldn't have. Well this cave is full of pelts. Yes King? What's over there now? Oh I see. So this is what had you so excited boy. Now what would any trapper with these rich skins be doing with dog and wolf pelts? They have no value. I can understand a trapper building up supply of high grade pelts but why would he keep so many of these worthless? What is it for him? Someone coming? Yes King. Something wrong here. We can't get out without being discovered. We'll get back at the far end of the cave. He should be safe here. Now play dead King. Play dead boy. It's another bunch we'll catch you now. That's a lasted one thing Kevin. I'm so tired hauling these pelts. Holland's almost over now. Take one more load of dog and wolf skins to the storehouse and then a whole thinking of up and smoke. Yeah. Those trappers they'll take it mighty hard. Good thing you made them sign those contracts. Our agreements will make us rich. We don't pay those shipmen as maids. That contract was the smartest thing you ever put together man. I'm Jack of all trades and I pay to know a little about them all. I didn't have much to do with any law but I can draw up a watertight contract and there's not a thing any of those trappers can do to break their agreements. Look at that beaver skin. It's a beauty. It's a beauty all right. We're sitting mighty pretty. Look at those fox tails. These skins will bring a fortune. What do you have a gold mine in the fur business? All them trappers need is to hear the prices we pay for the skins and they're bringing the best ones to us and car loads. The best part of it is we pay when shipments made and we never ship. We can't tote these wolves and dogs skins to the warehouse of dark vans. No we might as well stay right here till sundown. Now I'll start a fire. Wait a minute. We've got firewood alone. Let me listen. What's eating you Vance? There's someone in this cave. Who could be? There's someone in here I tell you. Listen Vance there ain't no soul knows about this cave. We can look around just to make sure it'll make it feel any better. There's no joke Duval. I know there's someone in here. You got a sixth sense Vance. You go along that wall I'll take this time. There's so many parts of this cave we can look all night and still not be anywhere. Shut up. I don't know what's got into you lately Vance. It was never so edgy before. Come out with your hands up. It'll go a lot easier with you. Ain't gonna walk into our arms Vance. There is somebody in here you know that. We'll search this cave till we find him. Come on. I don't know where he gets these ideas. Someone in the cave. He's taking this thing pretty seriously. That's a warning. Come out with your hands up. You shot loose in some rocks. Hey what the. I told you there was somebody in here. I'll bring that light over. I've got a gun and I'm going to use it. Maybe some of that rock hit him Vance. Hurry up with that light. Jumping the horn toads of Mountie. Well I never expected to meet Sargeant Preston knocked out by a couple of falling rocks. Come on Duval we'll tie him up before he regains consciousness. Here's some of that rope we used to tie the pelts together. That'll be all right. If that mutt moves, shoot him. There that does it. You need a hard time getting free of these ropes. Oh my head. Shut up you mutt. King old fella. We've got to do something about this Mountie Vance. He heard us talking. Don't worry we'll take care of him. Shoot that mutt Duval. Quiet King. Call him out here. All right King. Come on out boy. Shoot him Duval. Oh now. You heard me. Are you going to shoot him or will I? Make a break for King. Go on. No you won't Vance. You're not going to kill King. Go ahead. Shoot Duval. I'll throw you Vance. He's clean away. If you had a shot him when I told you. King. Is that the dog? Yeah that's the smartest lead dog in the Yukon. And now he's going to bring help thanks to you. We better get rid of this Mountie Vance then Vance. Sure. Fine. Have you got any ideas? Put a couple of bullets in him right now. You should have thought of that when the dog was here. Oh it's suicide to kill a muttie. You'll never get away with this. Listen Preston. This is one time you're not holding the gun. You'll die all right but without bullet marks on you. You can't win Vance. Some time and soon the inspector will send one of the other monies to see what's happened. Let him. By that time Duval and me will be so far out of the Yukon your law will never catch up with us. Now don't worry when you're found Preston is not going to look like muttie. What do you aim to do with him Vance? We'll gag him and take him for a walk. You mean. Yes. We'll have to go ahead with our plans tonight. We can't waste any time. That dog will have someone back here in a few hours. You're right. Let's pack up these furs and get moving. Late that night with heavy packs on their shoulders. Vance and Duval sneaked into Maschiti and forced Preston at the point of a gun to go ahead of them. He'll go right to the warehouse. Yeah. Sooner we get there the better. I don't like going through the town carrying this stuff. Don't worry no one will stop us. I'm thinking about that dog. Once Preston's out of the way our troubles are over. Of course it would be different if that mutt could talk. Here we are. I never was so glad to see any place in all my life. Yes. Mountie was downright obedient. I'm down on top of some of those worthless pelts and ties feet. All right. Mountie. You won't be able to move when I finish tying this. Put a lot of those dogskins around him. You figure he wants Sergeant Preston's death in the fire to look real. We want to be sure there's not a chance for him to get out of life and get your vans. That way you can say he was caught trying to save someone from the burning warehouse. Good idea. Someone of the south for this guy to get ideas. Come on Duval we put some of this oil around. That ought to be enough. Yeah that'll do it. Now I'll take this lamp. Those skins burn plenty fast. This place will be in inferno in five minutes. Lesson that. Come on let's get out of here. I don't want to be too close to this place when the fire is discovered. Attracted first by the red glow of the flames against the darkness of the night. Men poured from ramshackled buildings surrounding the warehouse and watched the fire. They knew the furs inside were lost. They knew that the cost of the damage would break many a trapper's heart. But they didn't know that inside the building Sergeant Preston lay bound and gay. Helpless in the face of certain death. A tall lanky trapper came from machete city's cafe. The expression on his face told the story more eloquently than words. All my furs are in there. I've gone in there. You know if you do you'll never get out alive. My warehouse ruined the chance in the world to save anything. Well if that building caves in we haven't a chance. Let's go on my first man. Listen to me. You better make good of them first man. What are you going to do about a pinch boys I'm sorry what about us. We won't lose everything. You meant all signed agreements with us. We agreed to pay when we shipped the first person ship we don't pay. You mean I've lost the whole years traveling that fire to get nothing to show for it. I'm sorry Hankins but there's not a thing we can do about we lost the warehouse. Does it do well. Preston's covered with red hot embers by now I got a hand or two events. Well Hankins but was in that warehouse is just a hopeless loss now you want to give us at least a quarter of what our first were worth fans. If we didn't take him to Hudson Bay Company we didn't take him to the Hudson Bay Company. Why do you suppose you pay such high prices we got competition to meet we meet at the best way we know how that's with highest prices we don't allow a cent for any losses you don't have to take a loss and press. Wait I'm seeing. How did that money not saying things of all but you soon will be the inside of a jail that much he must be as fans thanks to King here I got out of that burning warehouse he chewed through the ropes what did you mean sergeant you said I don't have to take no loss I meant just what I said Hankins your first together with the first of the other trappers are all safe in a cave about two miles. Well I'll be Vance and Duvall are under arrest you'll have to prove your story first money I'll prove it Hankins I'll take you to that cave where you find your first it ain't no crime to put first in the cave that's for yourself money you can't maybe I can't prove you tried to kill me Duvall you have no charge Preston you know it you can't prove we burned down our own warehouse we didn't know the furs have been transferred to the cave someone else did yeah yeah that's right we didn't know nothing about it you have agreements with these trappers to pay them high prices when you ship you agreed to those high prices because you didn't expect to pay them we'll make sure you ship now the law will see you stand by every word of your agreement sergeant that contract gives him 30 days to ship don't worry Hankins they'll ship in 30 days all right and you will have your money yes king the case is closed upholding the motto of the northwest mounted police sergeant Preston and the great dog king maintain the right and get their man don't miss their next thrilling adventure when they meet the challenge of the Yukon once again on Saturday at 6 30 challenge of the Yukon a copyrighted feature of the challenge of the Yukon incorporated brought to you every Saturday at this time originated in the transcription studios of WXYZ Detroit the characters and events in tonight's drama were fictitious Bill Morgan speaking this is the Michigan radio network