 The Challenge of the Ocon. On King, on your skin! The Wonder Dog King, swiftest and strongest of Eskimoly dogs, blazes the trail through storm and snow for Sergeant Preston as he meets the Challenge of the Ocon. Sergeant Preston was typical of a small band of Northwest Monty Police who preserved low and order in the new Northwest country, where the greed 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. Old Jed Peters and Josh Holt had been partners for years in the Ocon. They shared their goal claim, their food and their cabin without serious quarrels. But recently, unnoticeable coolness appeared in their relationship. They were not amiable about sharing the affections of Minerva Green, the only widow in the town of Selkirk. Jed eyed Josh balefully as Josh combed his hair in front of the cracked mirror. Put the seal oil on your hair. You're going to smell like polar bear bait. You're just jealous because you ain't got enough hair to put seal oil on. This oil keeps my hair laying flat instead of standing on end. Next thing you'll be taking a bath. I noticed you was washing your beard yesterday. Well, I've got a piece of fish tangled in it. You don't think I can go around smelling fish right under my nose all the time? You couldn't have washed it because you called on Minerva last night, could you? And you ain't putting that seal oil on your head to play checkers of Bill Johnson, the way you say you are. Well, I've got just as much right to calling her as you have. You've done it first. You could hardly wait till her husband got cold in his grave at 20 below. I don't see why you're wasting your time. She's always like me better. That's one man's opinion, and I ain't the man who has it. Hey, who said you could wear that shirt? Well, I washed the other one today, and it ain't dry yet. You can wear this one tomorrow. I don't like that shirt. It's torn in the back. But, Jed, we all we shared and shared alike. You ain't never done that. But now it's different. You have yours and I have mine. All right, you old termite. If that's the way you want it, we'll put a divide in line right through this cabin, and you keep on your side. All right. You just make a new place to keep your gold, and get it out of my side. That suits me. Tomorrow we'll divide it, and maybe we better divide our claim, too. From now on, you work one side, and I'll work the other. Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Monied Police with the big dog king beside him stood at the bar of the White Horse Inn and talked to Bill Gray, the owner. Oh, the minute the table was dead. Oh, they just been in town a couple of days, and Ames of Red Davis and Jim Christie, they come up from White Horse. Sergeant Josh still working their claim together? I heard that they was trying to sell it. Oh, that's too bad. I hate to see that friendship break up over a woman. They just knocked a glass over. Had too much to do, I guess. I think I'll suggest home and bed for him. We're there. If you're eight, old friend Preston. How are you, Sergeant? How are you, Jen? I wanted you to meet some old friends, Brad and Jim. Meet Sergeant. Hello, boys. Sit down and have a drink, Preston. I think you've had enough, Jen. You know, that's just what I was saying to my old friends here. Yeah, we were just about to take him home. That's a good idea. Come on! We'll all go over to my cabin and have a little party. Come on, Preston. Some other time, Jen. I'm too tired tonight. Come on, Jen. We'll go home with you. All right. We'll take care of him, Sergeant. This is my cabin. Hello, Jen. Don't step on that side of the white line on the floor. That's Josh's side, the old cockroach. Is he building something? Those boards and a saw. He's putting a trap door in the floor for his money. Can't keep it on my side. I won't have it. Yes, we better be going. Hmm. He's out already. This looks like a pretty good setup, Red. Here. Here, come on. Let's get out of here before the other old goat gets back. My, my. That sure was a good supper, Minervie. It ain't half as good as it could do, but a real gas stove to cook on. Got nothing to work with up here in the Yukon. Anyway, glad you liked it, Josh. Yes. Jed and I sold our claim today. You did? Well, that is a surprise. I didn't think Jed would agree, but he seemed more than willing. Got a good price for it, too. You did? We divided the money this evening before I come here. What are you aiming to do if he ain't going on mining? Well, maybe Jed will stay on here, but I've been thinking, well, maybe I'd like to get back to civilization. Oh, Josh, you feel just the way I do about it. Yes, yes. Minervie, as I said before, I got something I'd like to say to you. Josh, it'll be six months and I'm a widow in just a few days. Oh. Cain Fitton, I should listen to you before that. Well, I guess maybe you're right, but don't you listen to nobody else before that neither? I won't, Josh. And in the meantime, I'm straightening out my affairs. Maybe I'll be going back to the States with the sweetest little woman in the world. Oh, Josh. Come in. Sergeant Preston. Well, hello, Josh. What's wrong? Sergeant, I've been robbed. Robbed? Every speck of gold I had and all the money I got for our claims, all gone. Where was the money? In our cabin. I had a new place all fixed up, trapped on the floor covered with skins. I guess maybe you've heard, Jed and I ain't getting along too well and I had to change my hiding place to my side of the cabin. Did anyone know about this hiding place? Nobody but one person. He's the one who would benefit most by it. Who's that? I hate to say it, after all these years, but, well, it's Jed. Jed? Well, Josh, you know Jed's honest. He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't do it just for the money, no. But he knows it might swing the winter green over to his side a little if I was broke and couldn't take her out of the Yukon country. No, you don't think she might be marrying you just to get away from here, do you? What? No, of course not. She's a high-principled woman. The only thing is, she's been seen as much as Jed, and she has me, and it might influence her some, but all my money gone. Well, let's go over to your cabin, Josh, and look around. It was right in here, Preston, under this drab door. Was Jed's money touched? Not a bit of it. He keeps his over here. Here in the side of the wall. A bit of his money's here, see? Was your gold in bags like this? Just the same kind of bag. Jed and I made him ourselves out of flower sacks. Even the cash you had paid for our claim was in a bag like that. See? Here's Jed's. Were you paid in bills or gold? And brand-new bills from the bank, and we split them even. Here, Jed's behind all this, I know it. When he heard I was robbed, he went sailing right over to Minerva's to tell her. I'll bet that's where he is right now. I'd like to talk to him. I'll go get him, Sergeant. Be glad to. All right, Josh. You go and get him. Don't see why you couldn't hurry. Think we can keep Sergeant Preston waiting all day? I don't believe he wants to see me at all. Just an excuse to get me away from Minerva. Why'd you have to go running over there blabbing to her first thing anyway? I know she'd be interested. She was. She was sorry, huh? Oh, sure. But she said she always did favor me. Just the way I told her. Well, you old coot. I'll bet you hit my money. Josh, you take the advantage of... Josh, hold! You accuse me of robbing you. If you are a bag, I'll take you apart and throw you to the wolves. You know what? You can do it. Not with your room, it is. Why, you couldn't fight a flea. Why, you have Frank Weasley... Anyway, I didn't say you'd rob me. As mean a cuss as you are, I guess you're honest. Here we are. Here we are, Preston. What? Where he's gone? Yes, I thought so. It was all a trick just to get me away from Minerva. Why, you tricky little band of rooster, I ought to tell you... He was, too, here. He wanted to talk to you. I wouldn't trust you for a minute, just sneaky old cut worm. I'm glad someone took your money. I'm going to put mine straight in the bank just a minute the way I said I'd do. What's wrong? My money! My gold! It's gone! Gone? Don't act innocent, you little other-faced snake in the grass. You done it. Me? How could I have done it? Sergeant Preston... He wasn't here at all. Where'd you hide it? Tell me before I yank out your gizzards and wrap it around your ears. Come on, over to the hotel. We'll find Preston and I'll prove he was here. Who's seen Sergeant Preston around here anyways? Yeah, he left here with his dog team about half an hour ago. He's after somebody. Questioned everybody in the bar and then went flying out like lightning. Hello, hello, you huskies. What is it, King? Who's the trail? There, you've got it, fella. All right, hun, you huskies. Who that could be? Well, Josh, come on in. Hello, Minervi. Oh, you here, Jed? You're doing very well, I was. Any Sergeant Preston? Oh, but I know he'll catch developments with my money. Jake told me his lead dog is trailing them. Set over here, Josh. Here's a pillow for you. Yes, thank you, ma'am. By the time he catches them robbers, the ones who robbed you will sure have a good start, Jed. Could I get you a drink or something, Josh? Why, you know I ain't a drinking man, Minervi. Oh, that's right, Josh. That's why a robber's kind of favored you. Wait, you told me! It's Preston! Sergeant, did you get him? Did you find the robbers? No, Josh, we lost the trail. I'm afraid your money's gone. Hello, Mrs. Green. Hello, Sergeant. Say, you didn't catch them? Well, you was out of that well-goose chase. I was robbed, too. You were robbed, too? Well, I guess your boys are going to have to start all over again. Well, anyway, we're even. Minervi, you can choose between us now, and we'll know it ain't money that decides it. Why, uh, what that is, it's a kind of embarrassing right in front of the sergeant here. Oh, um, I'll leave if you'd rather. Oh, no, it's just that, uh, well, I was going to tell both of you. I ain't going to get married at all. You ain't? But you said... I know, but it's a lady's privilege to change her mind. Well, boys, I guess we'd better be going now that that's settled. Yep. Come on, George. Hi, ma'am, I'm coming. Better come with us to our cabin, sergeant. All right. We've got lots of troubles to drown. Yeah, coming in ain't you, sergeant? Oh, yes. Come on, King. We sure have been a couple of old fools, George. She just wanted our money. But I can't believe that... Hey, look! Our money! All of it! On the table! Yes, I left it there. King trailed with these. They were the men who brought you home one night, Jed. Tall, red-headed man and his pal. Yes, I remember. But how did you know that... I found out they left town very suddenly after the robbery. You were talking a lot that night. But did they have Jed's money, too? No, but I did. You? It suddenly occurred to me that if you were both panellists, you might find out a thing or two about the widow Green. So you see, I took it temporarily. By gosh, we did find out. She's nothing but a money-grab and old hag. Yeah. I hope this grease wears out of my hair. It makes my head itch. And I've washed my whiskers for the last time this year. It's too darn cold! 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. Hugh Holder speaking. This is the Michigan Red Network.