 The challenge of the Yukon. A king on your maramute! The Wonder Dog King, swiftest and 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. The preserve law and order in the new Northwest country was agreed for wealth and power led to frequent violence and bloodshed. But in spite of the odds against them, Sergeant Preston and his Wonder Dog King met that challenge and justice ruled triumphant. Sergeant Preston had been traveling north with a man named Conway when a blinding blizzard hit with stunning force driven by a whipping wind. Preston had made a shelter by breaking through the icy crust of a large drift and scooping out the light snow until it was room enough to accommodate the two men and the Leap Dog King. It was snug and warm inside the house of snow and both men were soon asleep. King lay for some time with his nose pointing toward the white wilderness beyond the small entrance. The hull of a wolf was audible above the wind. King whimpered and nuzzled Sergeant Preston. What is it, King? What's the matter, boy? What's the matter, Preston? King worked you up too, Conway. Is anything wrong? I don't know. King seems to think so. Listen to that wind. Just a minute. King heard something out there in the night. I'll stick my head out. Still snowing? No, the snow stopped. Quiet, King. I want to listen. What the... King! What was that, Preston? That was a wolf and King's going to meet it. Give me that rifle. If you're going out, I'm going with you. Follow me if you want, but before you leave, light that candle and leave it here so we can find our way back. After boating from the shelter and streaking past the sled dogs, King dashed through the snow toward the prowling lurking creatures that he knew as enemies. The huge wolves had been circling slowly and cautiously, closing in on a dark furry form that lay on the ground. As the great dog charged, the leader turned beneath the challenge. The sound of the wind was split by snarls and growls of fury. Cruel fangs were exposed as snapping jaws tried to grip a vital spot beneath King's heavy fur. The wolf pack moved near to leap on King when he fell. It was a struggle to the death with the odds against the dog, but King had man on his side. Sergeant Preston followed by Conway, struggled through the knee-deep snow to reach the churning mass. Hold your fire, Conway. You might hit King. You can't count dog from Wolf King. This way, King. Give ground. He's breaking away. That's it, boy. All right, Conway. Let him have it. They're running. All those wolves won't stand up to gunfire. Thank goodness for that. All right, King, old boy. Doesn't that dog know when the odds are too heavy? There now, King, old fella. You crazy. I guess you count on a little help for the fight went too far, I guess so. Preston, look over there. Huh? Something on the snow. Come on over. Whatever it is, the wolves were after it. Might be, old wolf. They'll turn on their own kind, you know. Yes. Can you make out what that is, Conway? Not yet. It's an animal of some sort. About the size of a large wolf. Seems to be. Conway, great Scott, look here. What is it? A girl. A girl? Incredible. Her fur coat. I thought she was an animal. Is she alive? No, she's breathing. I'll have to get her to the shelter. Look at her tracks, Preston. Traveling on foot. Not even snowshoes. Coming from the south. We can make room for her. I'll carry her to the shelter. Can you manage her a little? Yes, she's not heavy. I'll walk ahead and break the path a little wider. I think if this girl lives, she can thank you. Just swallow a little warm broth. Can you hold that cup for you, Sergeant? No, I can manage. Thanks. Just hold her head up a little. Yes. There. I wonder who she is. Don't know. That isn't too hot, is it? No. Her eyelids are flickering a little. She regains consciousness and tells us where she was going. Take it easy now. I'll try to swallow. You're all right, young lady. Easy does it. Swallow this if you can. I... I... I was trying to speak. I... I do. What did she say? Did you say la-doo? Pierre. Pierre la-doo. Now, now, hold on. You'll be all right. Has she lost consciousness again? Yes. She mentioned her name. La-doo. Pierre la-doo. Do you know who he is? He's a trapper and has a cabin a few miles south of here. Maybe the girl was trying to find him. That's possible. Now, we've got to take her somewhere to better shelter and more warmth. She can't stay here. We might continue north, Sergeant Preston. Now that the storm has died down, we can possibly make Burnett's trading post. I think we'll do better to follow the girl's back trail. We head south. We'll reach La-doo's cabin. Oh, very well. I'll see if she'll take some more of this broth while I harness the dogs. Al Conway rode the runners at the sled. Sergeant Preston jogged alongside on snowshoes. The mystery girl, still unconscious, lay heavily wrapped in blankets as the dogs maintain the steady pace over the moonlit back trail. Preston. What is it? I think the girl is moving. She is? Looked like it. I'll move up alongside and see. Her eyes are open. She's conscious. Good. Well, hold a minute. Hold on. All right, King. Steady boy. My name is Preston. How do you feel? I don't know. Where? How is she? She'll be all right. When we found you, young lady, you were asleep in the snow. But you're a mountain. Yes. Wait. Well, of course. Now, don't try to sit up just yet, young lady. What? Let me look. Preston, if you ask her about La-doo... Wait a minute, Conway. I've got her bearing. She's looking all around, yes. Over there. That light. It's just a northern light. They're behind us. You're traveling soft. Oh, yes, we're following you back. Oh, no, no, no, you can't. You can't take me back. The LA-doo will kill me. Burnett kept lights burning all night, so his trading post, located where Arctic trails crossed, might serve as a beacon for travelers. The hour was late when two men entered, slammed the door, and stamped snow from their feet. Hey, Burnett, you here? Moosh Martin. Howdy, Burnett. What are you doing here? You don't look glad to see me. Dave, she can't with my friend, the Hawk Peterson. All right. Hope you don't mind if I decline. Huh. It don't matter. I can't turn a man out in the night, Moosh, but I can refuse dealing with him. You know where to bunk? Get out first thing in the morning. Now, hold on, Burnett. We didn't come here to bunk. We're here on business. You know I won't do business with you, Martin. You and your pal La-doo have done too much stealing and killing to get your furs. You'll do business tonight. I tell you, better wait, Burnett, until you find out what Moosh has got to sell. I don't care what it is. You will. Open that pack, Hawk. Right. I'm going back to bed. Better wait, Burnett. What? You're expecting someone to arrive, ain't ya? Maybe what you see here will show you there's no use waiting all night. Take a look. That's it. A girl that carried this here rifle might have some trouble getting home. That's my daughter's right. Yeah, we thought it was. That's her name. Marie Burnett. You burned it into the stock yourself, didn't you, Burnett? Where did you get that rifle? We, uh, got something else here. Maybe you'll recognize the writing on this slip of paper. I had daughter's handwriting. Martin, where is she? What have you done with it? Well, this here is a list of things she bought when she was in Pine City. She had all these things on her sled when we saw her. You dirty thing. Now, Burnett. Yeah, like I said, we came here to talk business with you. Where is my dog? Take it easy, Burnett. Your daughter ain't hurt. You captured her. Burnett, for some time, you've been talking about selling out this trading post so as you could take that girl to the States. You tell me where my... You're selling out and leaving right now. You'll meet the girl on your way south. You'll pick up the sled and dog team she's got with her and keep traveling. We'll buy up this trading post. That's a business we came to take care of, Burnett. I've already made arrangements to sell the post. You can forget any other arrangements, Burnett. We've got legal papers right here. Well, you have to do sign them. And if you don't sign them, Burnett, you can guess what'll happen. What do you aim it to pay for the trading post? It says right there, one dollar and other valuable consideration. What's that mean? I guess you figure the life of your daughter is a valuable consideration, don't you, Burnett? You dirty, sneaky... I never mind the talk. Just let us know if you figured to sign that bill of sale or not. Yeah, make it fast. We're late already on account of the blizzard. We've got to get back to... To where? To where we're going. Otherwise, the rest of our outfit might think that you shot us or something and get rid of the girl so the law couldn't act. Well? You're going to sign? How do I know you'll keep your word? How do I know Marie ain't dead right now? She ain't. You can take our word for it. Your word. Make up your mind, Burnett. We'll get the signatures of the witnesses later on. Someone's coming. Well, look out the window, Hawk. Is her mood light enough to see? It's a moldy. Preston. Give me that bill of sale, Burnett. Now listen, get this if you value your daughter's life. Me and Hawk will wait in the next room. Now get rid of that moldy. Come on, Hawk. Come on in here, King. Oh, hello, Sergeant Preston. You're up late, aren't you? Oh, yeah. It was just about to turn in. Quiet, King. Anyone here? No, there ain't. No? Oh, them. Them wet footmarks on the floor. And the snowshoes at the door right before I kicked mine off? I was out for a little while. Oh, I see. Try now to couple a pair of shoes, snowshoes. And by the way, I was thinking about... Take him, King. Wait! I'll take over, King. You're covered. Well, King, I thought you were smart. Jerk can open the door. Tank spotted you as soon as we came in. Preston. Well, Burnett... Drop your gun. Don't be a fool, Burnett. Lower your gun or King will charge you. Don't do it, Burnett. You know what you got at stake. I know. I'm sorry, Preston, but you got no cause to rough those two men. Moose, Martin and Hawke? I've reason to arrest them. No. I'll lower that gun. You don't understand. I can't. Marie told me about these men. She was held in the do's place. Captured. Well, they came here. What? He lied. Tell that to Marie. She'll be here in a minute. Here? Yes. You can hear the dog team. John Conway is with her. Conway? The man who's going to boy your trading post so you and Marie can go to the States. Now, wait a minute. Hold on, Burnett. Don't lower your gun. I'm good, Moose. You and Hawke are finished. Marie escaped from the do. Oh, no. Marie. Marie, you're safe. Well, Preston, well, you got your men. King got one of them. Yes, King. The case is closed. These copyrighted dramas originate in the studios of WXYZ Detroit and all characters, names, places and incidents used are fictitious. They are sent to you each week at the same time and reach you from our transcription studios. Now, neo-speaking, this is the Michigan Radio Network.