 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 Monod Police in his relentless pursuit of lawbreakers. Un-King! Un-New Huskies! 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 battle through storm and snow to preserve law and order as they met the challenge of the Yukon! Tim Anderson had come down from the North with a trapper to the village of Stewart's Crossing. As he started into the Roadhouse, he heard a familiar voice. Hey! Is that you, Tim Anderson? Well, I'll be a son of a gun if it ain't Buck Cranston. How are you, old coot? Been two years since I saw you. Last where you been? Up around the Klondike and buck, I struck it rich up there. I got one of the richest claims on the river. Well, I guess I should have gone with you instead of staying around here trapping. What are you doing down here if you got a rich claim up there? I'm going back to the States to spend some of my money. You sell out? No, I got a partner. He's working at Barney. I'm planning to go on to Ogilvy and catch the boat as soon as the ice breaks up and she starts running. Well, pretty lucky I'll say. Come on over to my cabin. There's no sense in you staying here at the Roadhouse. We can do a little celebrate. Well, thanks, Buck. I'd like that. Where do you live? Just down the road a ways. Here, let me carry your pack now. That'll help. Matter of fact, I'm packing so much gold in my money belt, but all I can do to carry it. I got lift this far with a trapper friend of mine. Thought maybe I'd buy a dog team and sled here if I could. I doubt you'll get one. Dogs are mighty scarce around here. Well, maybe I can get one in the next town. I figured I'd sell it again before I took the boat. You better plan to stay here a couple of days with me and rest up. Then you won't mind a trek by foot, huh? Might be a good idea. I can take my time. It'll be at least a month before the boat starts running. I can get to Ogilvy a lot sooner than that. Well, here's my cabin. Quite a comfortable cabin you have here. Make yourself at home. I'll rustle up some supper. Ah, thanks. Maybe we can go to the roadhouse afterwards and join the boys. I'm kind of tired tonight, Buck. If you don't mind, I'd like to turn in early. Maybe we'll better wait until the mar to celebrate seeing each other again. Sure, sure. It's up to you. The following evening, Buck and Tim sat before the stove, swapping yarns. And so that gold claim turned out like all the rest. Now I'm trapping for a living. That's the way it goes. And then a drink, Tim. No, sure. Ha, thanks. I'm late for visitors. Okay, all right, come in, come in. I see your light. I just get back from Trapline. I'm glad you stopped in. I want you to meet an old friend of mine, Tim Anderson. It's Muskie John. Hello, Muskie. Have a chair before you drink. How about another one for you, Tim? Don't mind if I do. Muskie here is one of the best trappers in the territory. That's how he got his nickname. Well, how is it happening this time, Muskie? Oh, good. Blendy, good catch. I shoot moose on the way back. Good for you. Where'd you get him? Cross Lake on Ogilvy Trail. Hey, that's the way I'm heading tomorrow. It's quite a long trek around the Indian Lake, isn't it? Oh, long way around, but not so far across. But it's too dangerous crossing it this time of year, isn't it? No, no, I crossed today. Ice very thick. Save 10, 15 miles like that. Well, I'm glad to hear that. I was planning to follow the show around. No use of doing that if you can go straight across, especially if you're walking. Good thing Muskie stopped in. It'll save you lots of time. Right. I don't know much about this territory, but if that ice held up under Muskie, it sure will hold me. He's bigger than I am. Will me come across with dog team? Heavy load of furs? Ice plenty sully. Nobody knows more about this country than Muskie. He acts as a guide to Hunter's newcomer to come in from the outside. I'll take his word for it. Say, my head feels kind of funny. What's wrong, Tim? You haven't gone soft, have you? You've only had three drinks. I can't imagine what I'd better lie down here. Let me help you. Come on. Get over here. John McCartney. Never had a feeling quite like this. Oh, I guess I made your drinks too strong. Now, you just lie back and rest. Are you sure and call me early? Sure. I'll get you up at dawn. You have a good sleep, and you'll be as good as new by the time you leave. Tim, sleep already? Yeah, looks like it. Tim. Yep, he's dead to the word. Come on, Muskie. Help me undress him. I'll say what you tell me say this afternoon. What I tell him, that all right. Yeah, it was good work. He leaves every word you said. Are you sure about the lake? Sure. Last she looked, melt the ice. In some places, very thin. He'll not get cross. He'll not get cross. It was early the next morning when Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police drove his dog team up to Pat Gallagher's cabin on the shore of Indan Lake. The Mounties' voice rang out in the clear morning air. Oh, King, how are you? Hi, Pat, you home? You're just in time for breakfast. I had some about three hours ago, but there's plenty room for more. And King, old fella, did you think I wasn't going to speak to you at all? King's always glad to see you, Pat. He knows that people will like him. Sure, who could help but like him? The finest animal in the Yukon. I've got a nice fresh-caught fish he'd like. Well, come on in, Sergeant. I'll be brewing the tea. Oh, just a second. I brought you a bundle of newspapers. They're here on my flat somewhere. Oh, welcome, LB. That's mighty thoughtful of you. Here they are. You had to come around the shore of the lake, didn't you? Yes, I didn't dare come straight across. It's too dangerous. Bad holes covered with thin ice. The ice has been dangerous for over a week. Here are your papers. Now, let's go in and have some breakfast. What's wrong, King? Hey, looking out at the lake. Pat, look. There's a man crossing the lake. Oh, the fool doesn't even know he'll break through. He can't hear you. Stop! He can't hear you. He's too far away. His ears are covered. We have to stop him before he reaches that thin ice. There's a long pool beside my cabin. Now bring it. Casey, break through. Hang on, boy. See that man out there? Get him, fella. After him, boy. Catch him. Hurry, Pat. Right, common. I've got the fool. I've got a rope. Come on, hurry. The man out on the ice was walking slowly, but he was a long way from Pat and Sergeant Preston and couldn't hear their cries of warning. King, however, gained on him rapidly. The big dogs sped across the ice in huge leaps toward him. He had almost reached him when suddenly a cry of alarm broke from the lips of the mountain and was echoed by Pat. There goes the ice. He's gone through. Go ahead. Give him safe preserves. He's round shore. King will try to save him. Hurry, Pat, if we can only get there in time. With all him closed and frozen, he won't have a chance unless King can load him up for a minute or two. Pat, we've got to get there. The great dog hesitated only a second before leaping into the icy water. The man, struggling frantically to keep his head from going under, grasped the heavy fur around King's neck. Help! Oh, good boy. Maybe we can make it. We're fine. We're fine. Help! Hurry. I can't hold up. Hurry, Pat. King's holding him up. What can I do, sir? Bring the fool. Here it is. Keep your feet taken, man. Hang on to that dog. At the end of this pole. There. Now let go of the dog. You better help me kill him, then, Pat. There, now. Just a little more. Watch out, Pat. The ice is breaking at the edge. Over this way. Take it here. I can make the impression. Grab my hand, mister. Yeah, I've got it. There you are. Take care of him, Pat. I'll help King out. Stand up, man. If you can. Under, King. Over this way, fella. Now get your collar. There you are, boy. Good old sonner. I'm cold. Put this park around your man. You're chattering like a skeleton with a fork. Thanks. You'll have to keep moving to warm up. Take his other arm, Pat. We'll get him back to your cabin. Here you are, Tim. Drink this hot tea. It'll warm your insides. And keep that blanket wrapped around you. It'll take quite a while for your clothes to dry. I'm still pretty cold. Thanks, partner. You'll be no worse for a bath. I bet that's the first you've had since winter started. Yep, you're just about right. How's King doing, Charlie? Oh, he's all right. I've rubbed him down. Got the ice off his fur. I sure owe my life to that dog. Gosh, what an animal. I've never seen one so strong. My clothes would have sucked me in a minute if it hadn't been for him. He held me up. Let me hang on to him like that. King has saved a lot of people from drowning. That he has. He's the smartest dog I ever saw. Tim, why in front of did you ever try to cross that lake this time of year? Everybody knows how dangerous it is. Well, you see, I'm not from around these parts, and I don't know much about the country here. Last night, I stayed with a friend of mine. During the evening, a half-breed came in and said he had just came across the lake, and it was safe. Can you imagine such a laying spalpeen that ain't anyone come over this lake in almost two weeks? They said he had. He saved time, so naturally I tried it. Well, I should think your friend would have known better than to let you try. Who is he? His name is Buck Cranston. You know him? I've seen him around. Yes, and so have I. Maybe the breed just figured I needed a bath. Guess I ought to be grateful for being alive. Sergeant, what would you take for that dog? I think maybe I ought to retire him for the rest of his life as a reward. You couldn't buy him for any kind of money, Tim. Anyway, being retired wouldn't be a reward for King. It sure wouldn't. There's a dog that likes action. Oh, gosh, I ought to do something for him for saving me like that. See, hand me that wet money belt, Pat. I know just the present I'm going to give him. Oh, sure, I'll get it. Back on my claim, I found a nugget once that was shaped just like a dog's head. I was going to use it for a watch, Bob, but now I want it fastened on King's collar just like a medal for bravery. Here's the belt. Sure, and this alone must have almost sunk you. It's almost too heavy to lift. I got it packed with gold dust and nuggets. Wait till you see them. Hey, somebody's robbed me. What's wrong? There's no gold in here at all. It's all their bullets. Maybe you better tell me where you stayed last night and just what happened. I stayed at Buck's Cabin. He had quite a bit to drink, and I went to sleep early. Just after that half-breed came here. Well, did you have that much to drink? Well, now that I think of it, I don't believe I did. All of a sudden, I just couldn't keep my eyes open. Hmm. Sounds to me as if they slipped your knuckle drops. You mean Buck deliberately... How well did you know Buck? I knew him a couple of years ago. We were never the best of friends, exactly. After a man's been alone as long as I had, he's glad to see anybody he's ever seen before. You weren't in very good company, Tim. I'll say you weren't. We didn't like to say it before, and I thought he was a good friend of yours, but Buck Cranston is no tin angel. Then you think he planned to send me across that lake after robbing me? That's obvious, Tim. He probably had it all arranged with a half-breed. He must have told Muskie to come in and tell that story about crossing the lake. Is that the half-breed's name, Muskie? That's what Buck called him. You know anybody with that name, Pat? Nope. Never heard of him. Never mind. Trouble is, Tim, you have no proof they took your gold. Anyone else in town know you had it? Not only Buck. You're right. It would just be his word against mine. That's right. And you can depend on it. Buck will claim you lost it to him at poker. You'll have no proof that you didn't. Anyway, you can't identify gold. The only way I could identify it is by that nugget shaped like a dog's head. The man who has that is the thief. When your clothes are dry, you'd better come back to town with me. We'll go straight to Buck's cabin to find Muskie. Perhaps we can make one of them talk. It was late that evening when Sergeant Preston and Tim drove up to Buck's cabin near town. The cabin was dark and no smoke came out of the chimney. Okay. I guess Buck isn't here. There's no light. Let's have a look at the cabin. Munking. Wait till I light a match. I think we'll find a lantern here somewhere. There's a lantern on the table. Find out in a minute. There we are. Now what's the matter, kid? Look. There's a body on the floor there in the corner. That's what we're talking about. Wait. I'll turn it over. Why, it's Buck. Somebody stabbed him. He's dead. Dead? It looks as if Muskie wasn't satisfied with his share of your money. He wanted it all. So help me get this body up on the car. Tim? Sure. There we are. When do you think he was killed, Sergeant? Sometime this afternoon. Can you give me a good description of Muskie? Not a very good one. The light wasn't very bright in here last night when he came in. He looked like an Indian. About a medium size, I'd say. I think he wore a gray fur parka. That's about all I can remember. Hmm. That must have gone. Well, let's take this lantern outside and see if we can find any tracks. It was a first snowfall early this afternoon. We're lucky we'll find Muskie's trail. Let's hope he murdered Buck after the snowfall. Come on, King. Outside, boy. Be careful, Tim. Stay behind me. We've got to get these tracks mixed up. These are the ones you made coming in. Here's some leaving the cabin. Which way to the head? Away from town. Muskie was prepared for this murder, Tim. See? Footprints are deep. He's carrying a pack. He headed north to get as far away as possible before Buck was found. You're going after him right now, Sergeant? I have to get supplies first. That won't take long. Here, King. These tracks, boy. Well, I thought you said you weren't going after him now. I want King to get the scent of Muskie while the trail is still fresh. Got it, fella? Come on, Tim. We'll follow it a short way to be sure King knows I'm after him. That dog knows he's on Muskie's trail all right. I want him to connect the scent with the depth of the cabin. This way, King always knows the man I'm after, even if I can't recognize him. Won't he forget the scent? A dog remembers a scent just the way you and I remember a face. Muskie took the north trail all right. No sign of it turning off. We've gone far enough. Here, King. Come back, fella. Here, boy. Muskie won't know you're following him. He thinks I'm at the bottom of the lake, and I'm the only one who knows he was with Buck last night. Muskie won't take any chances. He knows he committed a murder, and sooner or later, a mobby will be trailing him. We can't lose any time. I guess that dog can't understand why you're calling him back. All right, King. We'll go after him later. I sure wish I could go with you, Sergeant. I'd like to lay my hands on that half-breed. No, Tim. I've trailed these half-breeds before. They're tough, and they know this country like a book. It might be weeks before I find him. But you'll find him, Sergeant. I'm betting on you. You'd better go back and stay with Pat. Maybe I can help him with his traps for my bored room. I'm sure cleaned out of money. Maybe, King, and I can bring it back to you. Some of it, anyway. All right, King. Let's go, boy. As Sergeant Preston had predicted, the pursuit of Muskie was long and difficult. It was two weeks later. The mountain plotted weirdly beside his sled as the exhausted dogs trained to keep up with King. The big lead dogs seem to be the only one left with enough reserve to carry on. King, fire! As they pulled up in front of Jacques Leblanc's trading post, the dogs laid down in their traces, too tired to move. Sergeant Preston released King from the harness. Sorry I had to keep you in the traces, fella, but the dogs sure needed your help. Now, come on, boy. Come in with me. You are mounting, yes? I'm Sergeant Preston. I am glad to see you, Sergeant. I have heard about you, but you never came up here before. It's sort of my usual territory, but I'm failing a criminal. Yeah, you look so tired, Sergeant. Let me give you some hot tea, yes? Well, thanks, Jacques, but there isn't time. All I want is some information. Have you seen anything about half-breed? Looks like an Indian stranger around here. Yeah, that description. She fits so many. I could tell you 15 like that. Must have come here and close on his trail. He'd be tired and hungry. I haven't given him time to rest. There is man here one hour ago who is tired like that. He buy rifle and bullets. He must be the one. I found his rifle the last place he can't, but the barrel split open. He is very tired, but like you, Sergeant, he will not stop to rest. And he has no dog team? I almost caught him at Indian Crossing. He had to abandon his dog team there to get away. You know which way he went? We lost his trail after that snow storm last night. I see him leave. He gone now through woods. Thanks, Jacques. Come along, King. Let's see if you can pick up that trail again. Muskie's trail through the woods was clearly written in the new fallen snow. King was back in harness, breaking the trail ahead. His amazing strength and stamina easing the burden of the rest of the dogs as they werely dragged at their traces. The early darkness was falling when suddenly a shop rang out from a clump of spruce trees ahead. King stopped in his tracks as Preston staggered and fell, hitting his head against the stump of a tree as he went down. King, turning the team, managed to reach the body of his master. He tried to rouse him by tugging at his sleeve and licking his face. Then he laid down close to the unconscious malty, his head on Preston's shoulder, and his head had fallen when Preston regained consciousness. King was nudging him with his nose and whining anxiously. King, old fella. All right, boy. Oh, my leg. My head hurts. Never mind, fella. Get to the sled, son. I forgot to get under those blankets. Painfully, Sergeant Preston dragged himself to the sled, crawled into the blankets and furs, and sank into exhausted slumber. Muskie the half-breed staggered blindly through the darkening forest, carrying only his rifle, his face gaunt, his eyes red with exhaustion. His only thought was to get away from the man who had pursued him day and night. And then the forest ended and a great plane stretched out before him. A short distance ahead, he saw a light in a small cabin. Even though exhausted, his cunning made him circle it widely. And when he staggered to its door, his tracks in the snow seemingly came from the opposite direction. Me trapper. Open. Seek. Help me. Me lose weight. Come in. You got food? You lie down uncut. Me bring you soup. Big feather. My husband, him, go on hunt. Me come fast and far. Got to sleep. Him first baby, baby boy. He will take this. Want more? Him sleep look like bad man. Wish big feather come. As Muskie slept heavily, the Indian squaw Tila watched his evil face from her chair beside the baby, and fear kept her awake through the night. When the first streak of dawn appeared, she fed her child and stirred up the fire. It was then that Muskie awoke. How long I sleep? You sleep all night. All night. Me got to go. You gave me breakfast. Food there. You eat. You go. You hear something? What's that? Me look out window. Dog team come. Man sit on sled. No. Me shoot him. My gun. Where my gun? You want to kill him? Here's gun. Dirty red coat. Him please. This time I get him. Get back. Keep still. Why you break window? He shoot for window. What the matter? What? Where bulletin gun? You, you take bullets from gun. You bad man. Me no last night. Me got bulletin. You take bullets from pocket tool. Give him back or me kill you. No. You no shoot please. Me throw bullets in snow last night. Dirty squaw me cut your throat. Maybe use knife on Papus. You no hurt Papus. See knife. Me hold it under blanket. You do what me say or me kill Papus. No hurt him. Me do. You say me your husband. Me sit. Say you my husband. I put blanket around me. Hold Papus. You get police in here. Go outside. Me come take dog team. You no hurt Papus. You do I no hurt him. Me do. Me do. Open door. Me a knife on Papus. Police. Yes, I'm Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Baptist. Is there anyone else in there who can help me? My husband him sick. Me help. Me stop. Me kill her. You lean on shoulder. I've been shot in the leg. Here we go. King barked frantically as he saw his master disappear into the cabin without him. Through the open door King had caught the scent of the man they had been chasing. He somehow knew that this man was connected with his master's injury. The scent of the man was on the tracks which came from the opposite direction, but King knew they were the same. He growled at the restraining harness that kept him from following the mountains and then began slicing at it with his sharp teeth. Inside the cabin, Muskie sat hunched over the baby's basket, a blanket half covering his face, as Teela put Preston on the cot. Thanks Teela. Now maybe I can dress this woolen. You hurt bad. That's my leg Teela. I wonder if you'll go out to my sled and get my first aid kit. It's a square box. Me too. Me help Teela. Well that's not necessary. Oh I mean I too seek. Hurry Teela. As the door of the cabin closed, the last strap of the harness parted between King's teeth. Muskie rushed to the sled and King got his scent. The scent of the man Preston had told him to get. As Muskie reached for the rifle on the sled, the great dog rushed him. Me get sergeant. Him not my husband, him bad man, won't kill you and won't kill that fool. It's Muskie. Help me to the door Teela. Help me. All right Teela. I'll lean on the door. Cover him with my gun. You all right? Yes, go back to your baby. All right King, back. Get off him fella. Get up Muskie. Don't try to run away. Bring him in King and watch him. Me come but take dog away. That dog's staying right behind you. Sit over in that chair on the corner. Got him King. Don't call dog away. That dog's going to be your jailer. We got you behind bars. Is your baby all right Teela? Him all right. Where is your husband Teela? Big feather. Him come home today maybe. Him hunt. When he gets back, perhaps he'll help me get Muskie back to Dawson. Him do. You. You're sick. You want me hold on? We won't need a gun with King watching. Got him boy. Keep him in that chair. If he moves, get him. Now, he'll help me to the cot Teela. I'll fix this wound and maybe get some rest. It was weeks later when Sergeant Preston again sat in Pat Gallagher's cabin on Indian Lake. Tim Anderson and Pat watched Sergeant Preston as he fastened King's collar. On the collar, a big nugget, the shape of a dog's head, gleamed in the firelight, as the great dog rested his muzzle on the sergeant's knee. Well, King old boy, you're looking mighty dressed up with this. Say thank you to Tim. Sure, that's a nice thing for you to be doing, Tim. Getting him such a fighting presence. Well, he got most of my gold back, him and the sergeant. Saved my life when I broke through the ice. Little enough for all that. Well, I'm certainly glad you got that half-breed musty behind bars. I have to give King most of the credit for that. He ought to have a nugget for every job he does. Sure, if he did, he'd be a walking goldmine. That's he would. He's worth a lot more than a goldmine to me. Just the way he is. Now, there you are, boy. The collar's all fixed. And now I guess the case is closed. The challenge of the Yukon, a copyrighted feature, is brought to you each week at this time, and all characters, names, and incidents used are fictitious.