 The challenge of the Yukon. It's Yukon King, swift as the strongest lead dog of the Northwest, placing 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 wild race for riches. Back to the days of the gold rush, with Sergeant Preston and his Wonder Dog Yukon King as they meet the challenge of the Yukon. The Sergeant brained up on the bank just below the falls. Oh, hold up, my king. Easy now. He looked down at the whirlpool. The Indians had named the devils Kolder. Falls aren't very high, King, but once Jim went over, he didn't have a chance. No one could fight that whirlpool. Good boy. When you look at me like that, fella, you seem to understand every word I'm saying. You know something wrong anyway. Yes, a sad thing, boy. When I get to Bill Cameron's cabin, you'll find only one of your old friends. Bing will be there, but his master, young Jim, his son is gone. Well, might as well be getting on, steady fella. Get up! Bill Cameron's claim was above the rapids, and the falls had faded to a distant murmur when the Sergeant reigned up in front of the cabin. Oh, fella. Bill was standing in the doorway. Hello, Sergeant. Good to see you. Hello, Bill. Are you making out with your claim? Well, it's better than I thought it would be. Running over $100 a day. Fine. Hello, King. I guess he's looking for Bing. I won't find a setter here. No? I couldn't stand having him around. My boy wouldn't have drowned if it hadn't been for Bing. Oh, really? That isn't the way I heard the story. That is the truth. So I'll admit the dog didn't have anything to do with this slipping and falling into the rapids. I heard Jim calling for help, and I saw what happened. Well, if you'd rather not talk about it, though... What's the difference? I can't forget it. Jim had managed to grab hold of a rock just above the falls. That stupid dog swam out to him. I'm trying to save him. How could he do that? I had the rope. I could have thrown it to Jim. I could have pulled him ashore. No. Jim saw the dog wasn't going to be able to make the rock. He tried to reach out and grab him. He lost his own hold. The roof went over the falls and then the whirlpool. Somehow or other, the dog wasn't caught by Jim was. You have my deepest sympathy for him. I'm just explaining about the dog. I wouldn't let him in afterwards. I drove him away. He hung around for a while out in the forest. Might have been better for you if you'd let him stay. Why? You both loved Jim. He'd have been a companion. I couldn't stand the sight of him. Anyhow, he's found a new home. That's what I want to talk to you about. That's why I left a message for you, Jake's Road House. Your message only said that someone was breaking the law up here. That's right. A miner. A miner? M-I-N-O-R, not E-R. The boy. He can't be more than 16. Hardly sounds like a dangerous carry. Maybe not. He's breaking the law just the same. He's taken a claim about a half mile upstream. He's fixed up an old beam, too, and he's panning gold. 16. Yes. Just about your son's age. Hey, don't want him around. He has no right to be here. The law says that no one under 21 can stick a claim. There's no law against his working a claim that's staked in someone else's name. What do you mean by that? That you're not gonna make him leave? I don't know, Bill. I think it might be a bad thing for you if I did. Why? You suffered a great loss. Jim was more than a son, really. He was a partner and a friend. But there are a lot of boys in the world who might have mind you of Jim in every town and city. You're not going to spend the rest of your life here, are you? Just because you're afraid to remember? Afraid? I'll remember too much. Well, I'm not going to promise anything till I have a talk with the boy. I'll pay him to get out of here. Take him back to Dawson with you. I'll give you enough money to put him through school. Anything you want. Bill, I don't understand. You will when you see him. It's impossible. More than a man can stand. Sergeant Preston watched Bill as he turned on his heel and walked back into the cabin, slamming the door behind him. Then he mounted and rode on up the river. Steady, bloody. Get up now. Around the next bend, he saw the boy standing on the edge of the bank. The black and white-setter Bing was standing beside him, looking up into his face. The boy had a stick in his hand. He showed it to Bing, and then he threw it out into the stream. Go and get it, boy. Go and get it. Bing ran to the water's edge, but there he pulled up short and only barked at the stick, floating down with a current. The king barked a greeting. Bing whirled and saw him on the sergeant. He raced to meet them. Hello there, Bing. How do you do, sir? My name's Mike Trevor. Glad to meet you, Mike. I'm Sergeant Preston. That's a wonderful dog you have. I like him. Say, I've heard of you. But this must be King, the best lead dog in the Yukon. He's pretty good. And you're called the setter Bing, didn't you? That's right. Do you know who he belongs to? The Bill Cameron, your downstream neighbor. That's funny. What is? Well, why won't Bing go home? Every evening, he goes down to the bend and stands there looking at Mr. Cameron's cabin. He stays there until the sun goes down. Then he comes back to me. I don't try to keep him here. He just sort of adopted me. Well, that's because Bill doesn't want him anymore. Why? He's a beautiful dog. Yes, he is. There's only one thing wrong with him as far as I can see. What's that? Well, he's the first setter I ever saw who was afraid of water. Did you see me throw that stick in the river a minute ago? Yes. He wanted to go and bring it back to me. But he's afraid to. I'll tell you why, Mike. Bing used to belong to Bill Cameron's son. His name was Jimmy. The sergeant told young Mike about the tragedy that happened a few months before. The reason why Bing was no longer welcome at the Cameron cabin. The probable reason for his being afraid of the river. When he had finished... Yes, that explains about the river. But Bing shouldn't be blamed too much for what happened. He was only doing his best to help. Come here, boy. You feel just as bad about Jim as anybody, don't you? You know why he likes you. I guess because he hasn't got anybody else to like. Same as me. You resemble Jim a great deal, Mike. Do I? When I first saw you, suddenly I was shocked. Is that... Is that why Mr. Cameron is so unfriendly? That's the main reason, I think. Now, tell me something about yourself. How do you happen to be all alone in the world? Well, Gramps died about two years ago. He was all the family I had. An hour later, the sergeant dismalded in front of Bill's cabin and knocked on the door. Yes, sir. What's it going to ask, sir? Of course, Commissar. Come in, Jim. That chair is the most comfortable... Thanks. Thank you. Well, what did you do? Is he leaving? Bill, as you know, I have the power to act as magistrate in this district. I know. What about it? Well, I've decided that young Mike should have a guardian. That's a good idea. Somebody to watch out for him. You mean you're going to take him back to Dawson with you? No, he's staying here. Sergeant... He has to, to be close to his guardian. I'm appointing you, Bill. Sure, what? Sergeant, I told you how I feel about the boy. What kind of a deal is this? I refuse. I absolutely refuse. You can't make me his guardian. Well, it's true. I can't. Then get him out of here. I won't have anything to do with him. Will you listen to me for a minute? Nothing you can say can make me change my mind. We'll see, Bill. Mike's a nice kid. It doesn't matter. He's all alone in the world, has been for the past two years. And though he won't admit it even to himself, he's had a hard time with the bill. Now he's found a nice little claim and you want him to lose it. It isn't a question of money. I'm willing to pay him to get out. He wouldn't accept your money, but he will clear out if you insist. He understands why you don't want him around. He's willing to go. All right, then. Would Jim like it? What are you doing? It's... It's because of Jim. Well, I wasn't answering the question. Jim admired you, Bill. He thought you were as square as they come. Hey, tell me... Let me talk just a little more. Mike made $200 trapping last winter. He thinks that's a lot of money. You and I both know it will take him more than that to buy supplies for the coming winter. I'll pay him. He's proud. He won't take your money. But your privilege to stake two claims on this Greek, Mike's already changed the name on his stake to yours. It belongs to you. All Mike would like to do is stay here and work it for you at whatever wages you set. Do you think I'd take any of the gold he penned? You might hold it in trust for him as a guardian should. I don't want any part of it. Wouldn't Jim like you to give the kid a break? I mean... I'd have to see him the day after day. No, you wouldn't. He'll report to you once a week, that's all. You wouldn't have to talk to him for more than a few minutes. Why are you doing this to me, Sergeant? What am I doing? You're making me think what Jim's mind. You're making me consider what he'd want me to do. It isn't fair. I think it is. It's for your sake I'm making you consider what Jim would feel. You'll only blame yourself later if you don't. All right. You win, Sergeant. Let the boys stay. Let the claim be in my name. I'll be his guardian. I'll see him for five minutes a week. Good. Bing could use a kind word from you, too. I won't be using any kind words, and I don't want the dog brought here to all his head understood. Whatever you say. I'll tell Mike. Somehow I don't think you'll regret this kindness, Bill. And so it was arranged that Bill Cameron would be Mike Trevor's guardian. Mike reported to him once a week, but the interviewers were always conducted with strict formality, and Bing always waited at the bend of the river for his new master to return. Inside his cabin, Bill watched them round the bend. He closed his eyes. Too much now. And it's getting worse instead of better. He's too much like Jim. It hurts too much to remember all the time. Maybe... Maybe I'd better clear out of here. Clear out of the Yukon. That same night, three hard-featured men were talking to an old sourdough called Wendy Smith, one of the cafes in Dawson. Why should I tell you they haven't begun to find all the gold there is in the Yukon? Except nobody knows where to look for it. Well, I won't say that either. I know where to look for it. Then why don't you instead of wasting your time around here? Well, I've got other interests. Other interests? The only interest you've got is in catching another drink. Now that you mention it, I am a little dry. No, no, no, thanks. You don't catch me paying for any more drinks. I did just one more, Smith. Now, you've had enough. And why should I set you up? You're nothing but a big bluff. You're full of hot air. That's right. Wendy's a good name for him. What do you want to know about this country that I can't tell you? Where there's gold. How about that? Well, I could name you a place. Go ahead. Costs you money, though. Valuable information. How much money? Hundred dollars. You can keep your information. No, no, wait, wait. I can prove what I'm saying. I've got the word of Jake Munson. And he's the sprawlest roadhouse keeper on the Yukon Trail. Ah, there'll be a catch. You'll name some quick where all the ground's been staked months ago. There was only one claim on this quick. Yeah. I'll give you ten dollars if you tell us where it is. Let's see your money. There's ten bucks worth of dust in that poke. All right. I'll tell you. Let it stay there till I hear what you have to say. Sure. It's the White River. It flows into the Yukon about twenty miles north of here. There's some falls about two miles upstream. And then some rapids. Gold is above the rapids. That's where Bill Cameron has his claim. Bill Cameron? Yeah. He's been up there over a year. And he's been cleaning over a hundred dollars worth of dust out of his stooses every day. All summer long he's been doing that. And now do I get the ten dollars? Yeah, go on. Take it. You go up there. You'll see I'm telling the truth. What do you say, Smithy? Sounds pretty good. I mean, we're really going to stake a claim. I thought we were going back to Frisco. We are. What do you mean? Ten bucks? Because I like the old man's story. This Cameron, a hundred dollars a day all summer long. He must have it up there in his cabin. And back nobody else on the river. Yeah, sounds to me like we're going to travel back to Frisco in style. The following morning, Wendy, his eyes bloodshot and his hands trembling, went to the northwest mounted headquarters and asked to see Sergeant Preston. He was shown into the sergeant's office and then... Sergeant, I'm afraid I've done something wrong. Now what is it, Wendy? Well, I don't mean I've broken any law, but last night in the El Dorado, I told some men about Bill Cameron's strike up on the White River. Nothing wrong with that? How do you pay that up there, waiting to be claimed? Yeah, but it was the men I told it to. Smithy and that Kelly, and the one they call Keg. Nice company you've been keeping. Well, I was broke, Sergeant. I didn't have a dime, and they offered to pay me ten dollars if I'd tell them where they could find gold. Oh, I shouldn't have done it, but I needed the money. The law has nothing against those men. I don't see that there was anything wrong in telling them. Well, they've left town. They've gone up there. That was to be expected. But Sergeant, when a man goes prospecting, he needs digging tools. He needs a pan to wash out the gravel. They didn't carry any tools with them. I made sure before I came to you. It has me worried, what I said. What did you say, Wendy? About Bill making a hundred dollars a day ever since the breakup. I'm afraid Smithy and the others have gone up there just to rob him. When did they leave? Five o'clock this morning. They told me at the hotel. Did they take horses? No, they went on foot, and one of them told the clerk at the hotel they wouldn't be back. Figured on taking a steamer for the outside at 40 mile. Well, maybe, and just imagining things, Sergeant. I hope you're all right, but it doesn't look that way to me. Are you going after him? Right away. Come on, King. Night had fallen when Smithy, Keg, and Bat reached the White River to stream toward Bill Cameron's cabin. But a full moon turned the falls and the rapids above to silver. They could see the cabin ahead of them. There was no light showing. There's the place. Good size sluice, but not much of a gravel pile. Now he's washed out holding a gravelly pile up during the winter. Good thing for us. What if he makes trouble, Smithy? He's asleep. He'll have to get in the cabin. The odds are the door is unlocked. Quiet now. Silently, the man approached the door of the cabin. Smithy tried it. That isn't bad. Come on. There's a car over in the corner. Yeah. He sound asleep. Wake up, mister. You got visitors. Nobody you ever saw before or will ever see again. You've got a gun? Yeah, and I'll use it if I have to. Where's your gold, Cameron? What makes you think I have any gold? That's sluice outside for one thing. Now don't stall. Where is it? What if I refuse to tell you? It wouldn't be healthy. You won't get any gold from me. You want us to make you talk? Try it. Okay, here's a starter. Oh, Smithy, what'd you use your gun for? You knocked him out. We can bring him to if we have to. We look around the cabin first. Keep an eye on him, Bat. Right. Smithy and Keg made a systematic search of the cabin. The shelves that covered the wood box inside of the stove. But there was no sign of any gold. Then accidentally, Keg stepped on the loose board. Hey, this floorboard is loose. There's something underneath. Pull it up and see. There's something. Yeah. Here, look. Hand me one of the bags. Here. Gold dust, plenty of it. Let's have the rest of it. Cameron, we can't just leave him here. He'll go for help. He'll have the Mounties after us and get to the steamer at 40 miles. What is that? Oh, either a wolf or a dog. I'll take a look. Oh, I don't see anything. It's a dog. Wait, wait a minute. There's somebody coming. Way downstream there. See where I'm pointing? Yeah. It's a man on horseback. A man on horseback? Hey, we gotta get out of here. We'll get rid of Cameron first. You're right, Bat. We don't want him putting any Mounties on our trail. Gonna shoot him? No, he's out cold. We'll throw him in the river. Kurt will carry him down into the rapids and over the falls. They'll never find him. What about us? We'll head north, over the ridge and down the other side to the next stream. We'll follow that back to the Yukon. Now, hurry up. Give me a hand with Cameron. The man Smitty had seen on the trail near the mouth of the river was Sergeant Preston, but the dog he had heard was Bing. Sutter, hold, and barked and tugged at Mike's blankets until the boy was wide awake. Then Bing insisted on being let out and that Mike follow him. When they reached the bend on the river, Mike saw three men disappearing around Cameron's cabin in the direction of the ridge, but Bing was in the river and started running down the bank. Then Mike saw a man struggling to keep a float out toward the middle of the stream. The shock of the cold water had brought Bill back to consciousness. Mr. Cameron! Bill had swallowed some water, however, and he was feeling the effects of the blow. His struggles were becoming weaker when Mike dove off the bank. The boy was a strong swimmer and he reached the drowning man's side in a few seconds. Take it easy. I'll get you into shore. I can't. I can't. It's all right. I've got you. Mike's arm went around Bill's chest and under his right arm. The boy started towing him toward shore. Now the current was swifter and the rapids were boiling directly ahead. Mike saw that he wouldn't be able to make it to the bank. A large black rock rose out of the water just above the rapids, and Mike headed for it. He grabbed hold of it and held out. How are you? Almost dim, boy. We can rest here for a minute. Let her save yourself. No. You'll get your strength back, then you'll be able to hang on. I'll swim into shore and get a rope. Tie it to that tree. Come back out and tie it around this rock. Then I can get you back to shore, hanging onto the rope. At that moment, Sergeant Preston rained up on the bank. Oh, hold on. Easy. Sergeant Preston. Mike, I have one in my saddlebag. Will it hold? I think so. I don't know. How strong are you? I'm fine. Sergeant studied the situation as he took a long rope from his saddlebag and tied one end of it around the tree. His plan became set in his mind, and he called out to Mike. Mike, I'm going to send King out with a rope. What? I'm going to tie it to his harness. Can you hang on to him with one hand and Bill with the other? I don't understand. When King gets to you, grab his harness and hang on to Bill. Yeah. The ropes tied to the tree, the current will swing you into shore. You'll be pulled underwater for a few seconds, but I'll be here to pull you out as soon as you get close enough. Understand now? Yeah. All right, merking. The sergeant tied the rope to King's harness as Bing ran up and down the bank, frantic with worry but still afraid to enter the water. The sergeant led King upstream. We'll get you as far upstream as we can, boy. As far as the rope will let you go. The current's going to carry you down mighty fast. You'll have to fight against it. All right, boy. Go on out to them. The sergeant watched anxiously as King struck out from shore. The setter, inspired by his example, started after him. The sergeant held him back. Oh, Bing, you stay here. King fought the current so effectively that he reached a point in line with the rock well above it. Then he turned and allowed the current to carry him downstream. As he neared the rock, Mike reached out for his harness and pulled him in. This is where we're all going to have to hang together, Mr. Cameron. I won't let you go, but if you can hang on a little help, I will get a tight hold around my waist. All right. I've got you under the shoulders. Here we go, King. As Mike shoved off in the rock, the combined pull of the kerb and the rope dragged the two men and the dog under the surface of the water. But they were swung swiftly in toward the bank. And as they reached the quieter water, they rose to the surface. The sergeant was waiting to pull them out, but Bill lost his grip suddenly, and Mike was unable to hang on to him. Bill was floundering, fighting for breath, and Bing, the setter, could be restrained no longer. He leaped into the water and swam straight toward him. Bill grabbed his silky coat, held down, and Bing started swimming back to shore. Another second of sergeant was at Bill's side, helping him in. All right. I've got him. That's a good dog. I've got him, Bing. You can stand up here, Bill. I don't know. It's all right. I'll carry you. Can I help the sergeant? You run ahead, Mike, and get some coffee on the stove. We're going to put him to bed. Ten minutes later, Bill was sipping a steaming cup of coffee, as the sergeant questioned him about the three men who had thrown him in the river. That's all I remember. The gold was under that floorboard. It's been ripped up. There's nothing there now. I didn't turn out to be a very good guardian, Mike. Sir, you... you don't think I blame you. I could have at least kept my door bolted. You say they headed for the ridge, Mike? Yes, sir. King can trail them. You'd better stay here till I get back, Mike. Well, yes, sir, if... if Mr. Cameron doesn't mind. Know your bill? No. No, sergeant. I'll see you both later. Come on, King. We'll have to get over that ridge fast. When Smitty, Kagan, Badd had stopped for a moment at the top of the ridge, they had seen the sergeant carrying Bill into his cabin. And even at the distance, they'd been able to make out the uniform. So he'd get a Mountie right on our heels. Maybe Cameron was dead when he fished him out. Maybe he wasn't. What if he talks? I'll tell you. A Mountie will come after us. And we go to jail. If he manages to arrest us... What's to stop him? Might get as far as 40 miles, but that's all. Look at this draw we just came up with. Oh, what is it? It's about the only way up the ridge. Hey. There he is, coming out of the cabin. See? Walking into the woods. Yeah. In about 15 minutes, he'll be coming up this draw. We'll wait for him right here. Wait for him? Behind these rocks with our guns ready. We'll get the Mountie first. Then we'll go back and clean up the rest of the evidence against us. Come on. We'll take cover in the top when there's a good feel of fire. The men to cover. 15 minutes past. 20. A half an hour. Still, there is no sign of the sergeant and king. What's happened? Keep quiet. I didn't take us this long to get up here. I don't like waiting this way. Would you rather wait in jail? I feel the same way it kicked us, Smitty. You're going to stay right here until you see the Mountie. You can't see me because I'm behind you. He's up there at the top of the ridge. Drop your guns, Oliver. Stand up and turn around with your hands up. Now turn around, all right? No! Anyone else feel like shooting it up? No, no, no! How did you get up there? I walked. King warned me this door wasn't safe, so we took another route. Where's the gold? It's all here. You in bad? Pick it up. I've been wounded bad. You're lucky you're able to complain about it. Let's see. My arm? Yes. I'll see if it's bandaged and I'll get back to my horse. Don't interfere with your walking. March. You're all under arrest in the name of the queen. The sergeant bandaged Smitty's wound. It built Cameron's cabin. Then he prepared to take his prisoners back to Dawson. I'm wondering just how close this case is to being finished, Bill. Well, it seems to me you've done everything, Sergeant. Well, Smitty and Kagan Bat will go to jail and you'll have your gold back. But I'm not quite satisfied. I want to thank you and King for saving my life. You have somebody else to thank for that. King and I wouldn't have reached to in time. It hadn't been for Mike. Well, we've been talking about it. Haven't we, Mike? That's right, Bill. Oh, so it's Bill now. What happened to Mr. Cameron? We haven't finished our talk yet. Will you shake hands, Mike? Why? Why, sure. It's... It's hard to ask the sort of favor I'm going to ask now after the way I've treated you. Well, you've been swell, Bill. No, I haven't. To tell the truth, I've almost hated you. And the reasons for that were all wrong. It was because you looked so much like my Jim. You were alive and Jim was dead. I resented you of being alive. If you still want me to go... No, no. I only want you to do me a favor. I want you to forget the way I've acted you. I've understood, Bill. Can you understand this? Now, I feel there was some big reason for your choosing the White River to stake your claim. That somebody arranged it that way. And that maybe Jim himself had some hand in it. Because he knew that his old dad was lonely. What I'm trying to say, Mike, is that... Well, I... I think Jim wants you to take his place here. Will you, boy? It... It'd be great to have some folks again. Shake on it. Sure. If you don't mind a suggestion from me, I think there should be a third member of this partnership. And who is it, Judge? He's standing just outside the door. Who? It's Bill. I wasn't sure you wanted him inside. Oh, here, boy. Come on, Bill. Ah, yes, today. You belong here, too. Welcome home, boy. He's a good dog. He certainly is. And now that that's settled, King, our work is done and the case is closed. Dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog. Now here, Sergeant Preston, with a preview of our next adventure. The case of a renegade Husky. King and I were hunting an escaped convict. The trail seemed to lead to a dead end at the Widow Blair's restaurant in the town of Poker Bend. It was a dog called Daisy who finally touched off the climax and the mighty exciting climax it was. Be sure to listen to this exciting adventure Wednesday. These radio dramas, a feature of the challenge of the Yukon Incorporated, are created and produced by George W. Trenbel, supervised by Charles D. Livingston, and edited by Fran Stryker. The part of Sergeant Preston is played by Paul Sutton. They are brought to you every Wednesday until September, when we shall resume our regular Monday, Wednesday and Friday broadcast. This is J. Michael, wishing you good bye and good luck till next Wednesday.