 The challenge of the Yukon It's king swiftest and strongest lead dog of the north country Blazing the trail for sergeant Preston of the northwest mounted police in his relentless pursuit of lawbreakers Gold gold discovered in the Yukon a stampede to the Klondike in the greedy race for riches Now 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 met the challenge of the Yukon Tim O'Hara lived alone with his sister Mary in the town of Galway, Ireland As he waited for the postman at the gate that led to the winding path toward the house a Shaggy gray dog almost as large as a Shetland pony Ambled up to his side the dog a full-grown Irish wolf hound Looked solemnly over the gate which reached only to a point well under his big muzzle Tim laughed as he patted the huge head Sure teller, then you look as if you're expecting a letter yourself this morning Well, I doubt that either of us will get one, but we we can at least say good morning to Paddy the postman Here he is now the top of the morning to your Paddy A foreign stamp you say sure and what could it be give it to me sure it's a good thing I know this doggy or since he was a pop or I'd be delivering your mail from the end of a fishing pole Glory be to heavens. He gets bigger every day. Oh, well here you are, but this letter Paddy It's addressed to my father to your father. Yes, it's Timothy Thomas O'Hara, and I'm Timothy Patrick O'Hara Sure, and I never noticed that but then your father being dead these two years. It never entered me mine Well, you better open it him. It might be from someone who ain't heard yet about your father Well, good day to you now, and I hope it ain't bad news Wonder who could be writing Wait till I find signature Your brother Michael it's from Uncle Michael Mary Mary Mary, where are you? It's a letter Mary a letter from Uncle Michael uncle Michael you mean he's still alive Well, it isn't written on asbestos And if I remember Uncle Michael, that's the only way he could write a letter if he if he passed on stop your nonsense Tim and read it It's from America. No it's from someplace in Canada. I think wait wait. I'll read it to you Dear Tim, I know you must be thinking that by now I'm playing a harp with the angel After slipping by st. Peter when he was looking the other way But it's far from the truth. I left Ireland to seek my fortune and glory be I found it Tim, I'm going to be a rich man I've struck gold in the Yukon territory And he was the uncle that was always the black sheep of my grandfather's flock go and Tim read it I've been wondering if by now that young son of yours Isn't old enough to feel the urge for adventure He had a look in his eye Even when he was ten that told me he wouldn't be content to settle down. Oh father always feared you'd be like uncle Michael And I always wanted to be oh hurry Tim really it's lonesome up here, and it's cold But I'm wondering if you'd let him come to me for a year Mining is hard work But it would be well worth his while as I'd see to it that he had money enough to live in a castle the rest of His life and support every O'Hara in the county of Necessity He wants you to come there in heaven with this gold mine. Mary will be rich You mean you'll go and you don't think I'll stay here in Ireland with a gold mine waiting for me But Tim oh Something dropped from between the pages. They're there on the floor It's a draft for money He sent me the fare about twice as much as I Then I can go to and we'll take terror Mary. Have you taken leave of your senses? I can't be bothered with the woman in this for terror He loves you more than a sore And if he was parted from as he died of a broken heart that he would We're going I say you're not getting around me any way at all. You'll stay in here I said I'm going to write to uncle Michael right away. I'll get you a pen But be sure you don't mention me that I won't I think maybe we better sell the house The bonanza bell steamed slowly up the Yukon River Tim and Mary stood on the deck with a big dog terror between them Mary was breathless with the beauty of the landscape before her But you tried to make me stay in Ireland and miss all of us I guess I should have known that I couldn't talk you out of it that uncle Michael is going to be surprised But he'll be pleased I'm getting chilly. I I think I'll go down put another sweater on oh Here comes the two men we met last night Mary talk to them. We live till I come back You might bring me another rat Tim. I'm getting cold too. All right, Mary Morning, mr. Herron. Good morning, Mr. Davis. How are you this morning? You're fine. Thank you, mr. Danvers I'm glad that big dog of yours is good natured. We were almost afraid to come near you There is a pet be very gentle Bob and I were talking to your brother last night and he showed us the map that mark for your uncle lives That's not going to be an easy trip mr. Herron. You need lots of equipment my uncle senses plenty of money We can buy your supplies in Dawson. Can't we may take you quite a while to get him You know, are you gonna stay in Dawson? Well hotel I suppose That's easier said than done Since the last gold strike on the Klondike people have been flocking to Dawson city in Groves You can't get a room for any kind of money. I meant asleep in 20 in a room sleeping right on the floor Glory be who is no idea it was that bad. Well, Joe and I were thinking ma'am Maybe you'd better plan on our cabin. We've got one in Dawson Well, no, oh, that's fine and generous of you Is it big enough for all of us Bob and me can bunk with some friends of ours Anyway, we're taking a trip north too, and we might be able to leave a day or so after getting to Dawson Oh, would you be going anywhere near the place my uncle Michael lives? Hey come to think of it We will or maybe we could wait over for a week or so and go together Does your brother know anything about driving the dog team? No, he doesn't but we thought it would be easy to do That's not so easy ma'am. These dogs up here are savage. You gotta know how to handle them And anyway, you and your brother couldn't just take off alone on a trip like that First time there was a blizzard. You'd get lost. We thought we'd hire a guy. We can't trust a miss a hero This is rough country might get robbed or murdered Isn't civilized like most places would be fine if we could all go together. Oh, here's Tim now. Let's tell him about it Here's your rat, Mary. Good morning boys. Oh, there. There was quite a card game we had last night I'll give you a chance to win some of your money back tonight. Oh, Tim. Were you gambling? Just enough to make the game interesting. Yeah, Cystic can tell you what we've been talking about I guess we better go down get some breakfast. We're starved. Come on Bob We'll see you in about half an hour. You'll find us right here on the deck Oh It worked like a charm Bob. She was the one who asked if they could go north with us. That's what I hoped she'd do Crazy idea. It's a chance to make a fortune You're the same age he is and his uncle hasn't seen him since he was 10 girls awful pretty I hate to think of harmony. How don't you go soft? Here's our chance to make a fortune We'll get rid of him some way on the trail north You can pass yourself off as the nephew The old man lives alone way off in the wilderness. He's got a rich mind. We can take plenty of gold out of it And if he gets suspicious Maybe he can have an accident. I don't want any part of it if it's gonna mean murder Monnie's up here too smart. You leave that part of it to me All you got to do is learn all about Tim O'Hara We'll let him win more money from us or you'll think we're honest All the time you keep him talking about himself Talk as much like him as you can You can leave the rest Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police with his big lead dog King beside him stood with Jim Peters Watching the crowd disembark from the riverboat at Dawson Suddenly the hair on King's back rose and a growl rumbled in his throat as Tim and Mario Hara came down the gang plank leading Tara The huge Irish Wolfhound was the biggest dog anyone on the dock had ever seen and Jim Peters gassed it with amazement Holy jump and G house of hat. Will you look at that animal? What is it? That's the biggest dog? I've ever seen quiet King I Guess even you can't believe it fella But if you're as smart as I think you are you'll make friends with that dog. What are the jar on him? What is he an airdale cross with an elephant? Well, Jim. I think he's an Irish Wolfhound I've heard about them, but I've never seen one look at the jar on him one bite. You could take a man's head off Come on. Let's get a closer look at it Welcome to Dawson, I'm Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police and this is Jim Peters. Howdy. How do you do? I'm Kim O'Hara, and this is Mary my sister. How do you do? Howdy? We're from Galway Ireland. You're a long way from home Fine dog you have there Let them make friends if they will Brave dog there Sergeant poor terror can seldom make friends with any Most of them take one look at him and run with their tails through them and tell this gentle as a summer breeze And wouldn't hurt more than you flee Look at them walking around stiff-legged. They're not gonna fight. Hey dear now. You see their tails are begin to wag I knew King had good sense Two grand animals they are. He's appreciating how fine the other is. Your dogs an Irish Wolfhound isn't he? That he is sergeant and one of the few pure bred ones left They're rare now even in Ireland Terrorist ancestors killed most of the wolves in the land. Yeah, we've got some big wolves up here in the north country Most dogs wouldn't stand a chance with them. I think this dog was Jim They could snap their backbone with that job is that's what they're bred for you're planning to stay in Dawson What about a week or two? The town is packed jammed. There ain't an inch a room at the hotels We're staying with some friends of ours here. They came up on the boat with us They went ahead to get their dog team so we could get all of our baggage up to their cabins Do they live in Dawson? Just outside of it. You probably know them Joe Davis and Bob Danvers Why uh, no, I don't know them. I've met him I think they live out next to Ned Aimee sergeant Oh, yes, I know where that is. Well, if you know where we'll be I hope you'll come out to see us Well, I'd like to very much. I'd like to find out more about that dog of yours It was evening a few days later Joe Davis and Bob Danvers had finished the sufferer that Mary had cooked in the small cabin near the edge of town We'll be ready to start north in a few days. I think I'm trying to buy a couple more dogs for the team But I have quite a load if you need more money. I'd be glad to give it to you. I don't think so But did you copy the map that shows where your uncle's place is I? Thought some of the boys might be able to tell us a shortcut if I showed it to them. Yes. Yes A copy here. You'd better keep it in case I lose mine. I'm sure don't you think we'd better be going Joe the time's getting late You're talking exactly like Tim. Well, you're so as if you just come from the old My rich accent can be catching I've been talking to him so much about Ireland that he's beginning to turn into a nourishment Bob's right. We gotta get going. I promise to meet some of the boys tonight. We'll see you tomorrow No, all right, Joe Hey, you can you can let Tara in now that you leave in there. There'll be room for him in here Good night He loves this country. It's wild and rugged like him. Oh, he's not wild are you boy? Someone at the door Hello, Tim. Hello sergeant. Come in. Did you bring King with you? Yes, but I think we'd better put the dogs outside. They're a bit large for this place. Good idea They take up all the room come Tara you and King outside for a while I see you've a lot of supplies ready soon be starting north I suppose in about a week I think I almost hate to leave. I'm beginning to like it here I hope it won't mean that we've seen the last of you sergeant one reason I dropped in tonight Tim was to tell you I have to make a northern patrol I thought if you could tell me where your uncle lives I might see you on the way back Oh, Sergeant, please do. Tim has a map and he could show you exactly where Uncle Michael lives Sure, and I can do better than that. I made some copies of the map for Joe and Bob and thought I'd better make one for Mary too You can have her, Sergeant. Oh that he can if he promises to visit us Here's the map Sergeant. Thanks. It's a long trip we'll be making. Joe said it's over a hundred miles. He's right Your uncle's in a very isolated section You know, I'm glad you're going with friends who are used to the north country. It'd be very easy to get lost We're lucky to have Joe and Bob. They've got a good dog team and we'll be safe with them I have to visit quite a few places on this patrol north. I'm sure you'll get to your uncle's long before I do Won't be very far out of the way though, so I'll try and make it. Oh, be sure you do Sergeant. Tim and I will be looking forward to it Days of steady traveling carry Tim and Mary far north with Joe and Bob Tara the big wolf found ran free after proving too big and too fast for the rest of the dog team Then suddenly the terrible winter of the Yukon struck As the wind blows and drove the snow into their faces Joe halted the team at the edge of the spruce forest We'd better stop here and make shutters while we can. I think a blizzard's blown up Sleep in the open and we go a bit farther. Let's find a trapper's cabin as we've done before we'd be taking too much of a chance You don't know what these blizzards are like We can't let Mary stay out in the open Oh, now don't worry about me Tim. I can see it through the roads. We must do as they say You and Mary may camp while Bob and I cut some branches for the shelters in the beds I'll take this axe. You bring yellow and Bob. Come on coming Mary and I will feed the dogs and get the supplies ready. We'll be right back. Well Bob Tonight's the night we skip and notice we left the trail about an hour ago They didn't notice it though I thought it was never gonna get started snowing We're just about a day away from their uncle's place. I think there's any chance of them finding it They wouldn't even know how to find the trail Now tonight when that blizzard has gone full blast We'll sneak away with the dog team and supplies We'll fix our shelters far away from there so they won't hear This wind and snow keeps up there won't be a sign of our trail by morning And they won't know one direction from another Him is a gun, isn't he? Yeah But I've got the cartridges. Come on. Let's cut these branches Mary stirred in her fur robes as the pale morning light filtered through the trees Then she awoke with a start as she heard Tim calling They wouldn't have taken the dog team and all the supplies they must have left right after we went to sleep The snow and the wind has covered their trails. There's no way of following them I have a gun But only a few bullets have been loose in my pocket and until the snow stops and we can see the Sun I can't tell the north from the south There's no food. No food at all. There's a little that from last night's supper. We must use it sparingly Terrorist is still here. What's about food for him? Terrell have to hunt for his. Maybe he's luckier than we are. Oh poor fella. He's hungry now He thinks since we're awake we should feed him. He'll stay with us until his hunger drives him away But he'll always come back to us Tim. That he will Build up the fire Mary and the snow stops. I'll take the gun and try to find some day That night terror the wolf hounds roam the wilderness alone a feeling of wild Exultation burned in his breast as he covered the miles of wilderness in search of food Through all the years of gentle living there had been a feeling deep inside him that cried for expression Now he knew what it was the chase and the kill Like a huge gray shadow he covered mile after mile in a wide circle and the Sun was high when he returned to camp Besides bulging with the fruit of his chase Mary was sitting alone her goggles shielding her eyes from the cool glare of the Sun on the snow Oh you've eased my hope and I guess you're tired But I must find Tim he's been gone so long. Can you find him boy? Tear go find him. I Hope nothing has happened to Tim The minutes dragged into hours as Mary sat by the fire waiting Then suddenly a cry cut through the still air from a distance A quick pang of fear shot through her The glare on the snow is blinded Tera found me and brought me back. Yeah, I can't see you. I've lost the gun Here's the fire sit down and let me bind your eyes Mary. What are we to do? I heard a wolf call a short while back Mary if the wolves gather we have the fire We have to get a good fight one or two that you'd be no match for more than that Darkness was falling and Sergeant Creston that stopped on the trail to study the map that Tim had given Suddenly he heard King bark up ahead of the team All those tracks crossing the trail what kind of it that's a big I Must be his tracks. No wolf so big as this those terrorist tracking He's all alone and those tracks were made today wonder where Mary is Yes, King. I think we'd better follow them. Tara wouldn't leave Mary and Tim. All right, King The full moon shown brightly on the two figures huddled before a small fire with a big gray shape of the wolf hound between them Tim held tightly to the collar of the huge dog as a weird cry both through the stillness and was answered by another He's still boy you stay here Mary pile on wood on the fire if I could only see him. Yes I use the lust of it and we have no axe What is it there? What's wrong? Oh Here I come back. He's got away from me Where's he gone Mary? See if I could help him tell me Mary Give me a brand from the fire Last one Mary there was a gun Mary what you thought was a wolf it must be a dog The bright light of the fire played over the group around it as Sergeant Preston bent over Tara The huge wolf hound lay with his head on Mary's lap his heaving sides covered with blood His own and his enemies Three wolf carcasses made dark splotches in the moonlight in the clearing before the fire Mary wept as she caressed the great dog Here in the Darwin What a brave stange in me. How bad is he? Poor flanks are torn and and he's wary under death Let's see Now he didn't got his throat. All right. He's lost a lot of blood, but these wounds aren't fatal Thank you leave you think sergeant. I think so, Mary. Oh Thank heaven thank heaven. You said King is all right. King's very much alive. Aren't you boy? King came in from the side I guess and took them by surprise We owe our lives to these dogs in you sergeant. Hold this bandage. Will you please marry sure? All right, dear old boy. I'll fix this cut of yours. How did you find us sergeant? We found terrorist tracks crossing the trail alone. It is a long time to find you. He must have been hunting by himself Where is Joe and Bob? They went off in the night and left us. Not off? Why? I don't know sergeant I thought they were such good friends of yours. We met them on the boat come in and ask them Joe asked for a copy of the map showing where Uncle Michael was. That's funny Well, maybe we'll find out Tomorrow we'll go to your uncle's. Tim's eyes should be better by morning But will Terra be able to travel? You and Terra can ride on my sled. All right, Terra. Now let's fix this other wound Darkness had fallen in the following evening when sergeant Preston's dog sled topped a small hill that overlooked Michael O'Hara's cabin The mountains stopped the team. Okay I think that's your uncle's cabin, Tim I'll be mighty happy to get there. Oh, and so shall I. Terra is tired of being a passenger I think I'll have to ask you to wait here for a while. It might be dangerous for Mary down there You think Joe and Bob may have hurt my uncle? I'm going to take King and go down first and investigate. Give me about 15 minutes and he can drive the dog team down. Come on, King Come on, boy. Oh, be careful, Spartan Sergeant Preston walked quietly to the small window of the lighted cabin Inside he saw Bob talking to an old man alone There's only one of them in there, King. I guess you better stay out here. All right, boy. Stay here and watch, King Yes, sir. Who are you? I'm sergeant Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police. I'm a friend of your nephew, Tim. Well, come in. Come in Tim, he is a friend of yours Tim just got here a day before yesterday, Sergeant. All right, Bob. Don't say a thing. You're under arrest That's ain't spruce to harvest. What's this? This isn't your nephew at all, Mr. O'Hara. He's lying Sure, and you must be mistaken, Sergeant. He's been telling me all about Ireland and Your nephew and your niece are with me, Mr. O'Hara. This man's an imposter Where's the man who came with him? His friend Joe, you mean? Yes He went out this afternoon to do some hunting. We needed fresh meat and he ain't back yet. Get over in that corner, Bob I'm handcuffing him. When Sergeant Preston entered the cabin, King lay in the darkness outside Suddenly, he noticed a figure steal silently from the trees nearby The big dog raised his head. His ears pricked forward A man came silently to the side of the cabin and peered in the window Quietly, King crept toward him Suddenly, a great dog saw the man raise a rifle With a roar, King launched himself straight at him and they rolled in the snow Good work, fella. You got it. Get up, Joe. I have your gun So you're trying to shoot me through the window, eh? No This dog jumped me for no reason. Get into that cabin. You're under arrest Who's the other one, Mr. O'Hara? He must have seen me going into your cabin But he didn't know King was watching outside I can't believe this. Get over beside Bob, Joe. I'm handcuffing you together. I don't see how you got here Oh, there's your real nephew now, Mr. O'Hara. That's my dog team Tim! Tim, is it you? It's me all right, Uncle Michael. And here's Mary Glory be to you. And he looks just like a father Well, it's hands me praise. I never expected to last like this. Come in, come in Oh, but wait, Uncle Michael. Wait. There's something else you'll be happy to see Come here, Tara. Here, boy. Come here An Irish wolf-hound. Glory be to heaven. I never expected to lay any eyes on one again And you wouldn't have, but I'm not seething. If it hadn't been for Sergeant Fesson and King This is almost too much for an old man like me So much happened in all at once We'll tell you all about it, Mr. O'Hara. Beginning to end Yes, thanks to these two dogs, this case is closed The challenge of the Yukon, a copyrighted feature, is brought to you each week at this time And all names and incidents used are fictitious Listen again next week to another exciting adventure during the days of the Gold Rush Fred Boy speaking, this program came to you from Detroit When a radio program combines entertainment with a message, that's good And when that program is David Harding Counterspy, that's excellent Counterspy has tackled every vital problem confronting America in the past few years Done it by building an exciting 30-minute program based on some current issue During the war, Counterspy won a claim by its astonishingly, brutalized dramas Counterspy now turns its attention to people who are trying to hamper world peace As David Harding pointed out in a recent broadcast During the war, most Americans learn that to blame or hate another person because of his religion is dangerous Prejudice can weaken our nation Purt us personally We can resolve never to spread prejudice any more than we would spread a wartime rumor Don't miss tomorrow afternoon's timely, thrilling David Harding Counterspy story Heard over many of these same ABC stations This is ABC, the American