 The challenge of the Yukon. The challenge of the Yukon. The challenge of the Yukon. The challenge of the Yukon. Untimely, un-yuh-hush-key. Untimely, un-yuh-hush-key. Untimely, un-yuh-hush-key. The Wonder Dog King's swiftest and strongest of the Ancimol-leed dogs blazes the trail through storm and snow for Sergeant Preston as he meets the challenge of the Yukon. The challenge of the Yukon. Sergeant Preston was typical of the small band of Northwest Mouted Police who preserved law 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. The long bitter winter of the North country was a dreary period for the prospectors during the gold rush. For those who lived in the wilderness, there were only the routine jobs, with no place to go to pass the long evenings. It was therefore a rare treat to have a visitor, and especially a visitor like Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police, who brought tales of adventure to isolated souls like old Mike Daly, who loved the story more than anyone in the world. Mike sighed contentedly as he put a match to his pipe and relaxed in his chair across from the mountain, who sat with his big husky lead dog King beside him. Ah, sure you don't know what a pleasure it is to have a here, Sergeant. I ain't seen a soul outside of old Jim Horton for a dog's age, and Jim and I were talked out years ago. All we do now is grunt at each other. It's quite a lonely life you lead, Mike. I should have a dog like King. Sometimes I think dogs are as good company as humans. Sometimes they're much better. So wonder someone doesn't try to steal them from you? Well that's been tried, Mike, hundreds of times. But when a dog and a man are as close as we are, it's pretty hard to separate them. There are lots of dog thieves in this country, ain't there now? Yes, there are. Sergeant, have you ever had any experience with any? No, you don't have to lead me on like that, Mike. I know your weakness for hearing a good story. Well now, if you'd rather be telling me one that ain't about dog thieves, it's all right with me. As a matter of fact, I can tell you a very good one about dogies. That happens since I last saw you. Now, this is what I've been waiting for. Well, three or four dogs have been stolen in the vicinity of Selkirk. I was sent to investigate. I interviewed a man by the name of Matt Pearson. Matt was a dog breeder, and he'd suffered the biggest loss. Yes, sir, Sergeant Preston. This was a dog I own. She said three liters of pup should turn out to be champion. I remember, Bess. Didn't she have a broken tail? Yeah, she's the one. Got a door slammed on it. Well, I have a foolish to steal her, and she's too easy to identify. It's due to have another litter of pups any minute. They'll hide out until the pups can be weaned, and then they'll probably shoot poor Bess or something. There's no way anyone can identify them, or prove they were mine. I see. But they won't be able to go very far with Bess and a litter of newborn pups. Well, they'll probably put her on a sled and got far enough away before they were born. Anyway, even if they didn't get far, we don't know which way they went. You can't search every shack and wood shed in a radius of 10 miles. Well, that's true, Matt. But the thieves will probably stay near a town somewhere for a couple of weeks. Not this town. I know everyone around here. The thieves must know it. No, they wouldn't be around here. But they might get as far as Selwyn. Well, it's sure a tough assignment for you, Sergeant. I really don't hope to get her back. No harm in trying, Matt. Dog thieves are my pet hate, you know. Well, there's nothing much lower. And it ain't that Bess was just valuable. I liked her better than any dog they ever had. She's smart as a make-up. It's like losing a good friend. Bess was a best dog with the litter of pups that I ever saw. I swear she could count. If one of her pups was missing out of a litter of six, she'd look till she found him. And I've heard people say dogs can't count more than four. Well, that's the average dog, Matt. Some are brighter than others. Well, I'll keep my eyes open. If we're lucky, maybe you'll get the best back. I thought it out for Selwyn the following morning, Mike. There was a family living there with the name of Thomas. The two children, Mary and Bob, were very fond of King. I never went to Selwyn without stopping to see them. Well, it seems that while I was on the way to Selwyn, Mary and Bob were having quite an adventure. They'd gone off on a long hike through the hills not far from town. As they climbed to the top of one of them, young Mary suddenly saw a cabin half-hidden at the base. Wonder who lives there. It's a long way from town. Let's go down and see. Oh, you're always wanting to go snooping around. Let's go back home. Well, look. There are two men and a dog sled. Oh, let's go down and see the dog. A trip. They've been hunting probably. Oh, come on. Let's go down and see. Oh, all right. Maybe we shouldn't have come down here. Those men don't look too friendly. Look at that nice big dog. Well, they've been riding it on the sled. I wonder why. That man is taking something out of that basket. Why? It's a puppy. Hey, where'd you kids come from? We were just climbing that hill back there and saw your cabin. Well, you better get going. We just came down to see the dogs. Are there any more puppies in that basket? You heard what I said. Didn't you? Get going. Just a minute, Jake. Take it easy. Huh? Where do you kids live? Well, we live and saw one. Uh, could I see the rest of those puppies? What happened to the mother dog's tail? It's crooked. What are we going to do around? You kids own a dog. Oh, no, but we'd certainly like to. We can't afford one. Uh, please, could I hold that puppy? Would just for a minute. Sure, here. Oh, it's beautiful. Look, Bobby. Gosh, he sure is. Say, uh, how'd you like to have him? Have him? You don't mean you'll get into us? France, what are you talking about? Keep still, Jake. I mean it. You can have him. First, you have to promise me something. Gee, we'd promise anything if we could have him. Well, if you promise to keep him hidden somewhere, not tell anyone about him for at least a month is yours. You mean not even tell our mother? Not even your mother. But where'd we keep him? They'd find out. We could put him in that old shed, Bobby. The one behind the new one, Daddy Bill. Yeah, we could hide him there. Yeah, that'd be a fine place for him. Now, uh, you kids know what it means to make a promise, don't you? Oh, yes. If you break a promise, it's as bad as a lie. Yeah, it's even worse than that. Something awful would happen if you break this promise. We won't. We won't tell anybody, mister. All right. Now, I want you to tell anybody you even saw us here. Don't tell your family or anybody. Cross my heart and hope to die. I won't tell. Me too. Cross my heart and hope to die. All right. They're puppets yours. Now get going. Hang on the best, Jake. I'll get it. Well, I just don't know how to thank you. Who we've always wanted a puppy. Yeah, thanks, mister. Yeah, goodbye. I'll take very good care of him. We sure will. See you, Bobby. Hey, just what's the idea? That pup will be worth money. We had to do something, didn't we? Those kids would have gone home and told their parents they saw us here. What of it? We didn't take best from their town. So jerking so far away. We can't take a chance. Now, this way we're safe. I don't see how you figure. Their parents will see that pup. And that puppy is too young to live more than two days without its mother. They all know how to feed it. When it dies, they'll just bury it and won't tell anyone about it. And it's the only way we can shut them up. I don't think we ought to get out of here. We can't go any further with these pups if we want to keep them alive. Then maybe we can find another hideout in a day or two. Hey, come on now. Help me put them back in the cabin. Took a room at the hotel. Of course I could pick up no information whatever about the stolen dog. It was almost spring, so the days were getting longer and it was still light when I took King and walked to Thomas' cabin. It was just finishing their supper when I arrived. We're certainly glad to see you, Sergeant. Hello, Sergeant Preston. Hello, Sergeant Preston. Hello, kids. Why, uh, where's your dad? Isn't he here? He had to take a trip to Moosehead. Hello, he'll be back tomorrow. Oh, dear boy. Sit down, Sergeant. Thank you. Are you after a criminal or something, Sergeant Preston? Yes, I am, Bob. Now, you finish your supper and I'll tell you about it. No, I'm almost through. Don't you want to join us, Sergeant? I've, uh, eaten, thanks. You said you'd tell us about the bad men. I'm after some dog thieves, Mary. Dog thieves? A very valuable dog was stolen from a man in Selkirk. I'm here because this is the nearest town, and I couldn't have gone far because the mother dog has a litter of puppies. Did you say puppies? Yes. Puppies? What's wrong with you children? Uh, nothing, Mother. I hope you'll find these men, Sergeant. There's nothing meaner than a dog thief. Sergeant. Yes, Bob? How important is a promise? A promise? Why, uh, I'd say it was very important. If you said cross my heart and hope to die, it's important to keep a promise, isn't it? Oh, yes, I'd say it was, Mary. Why are you children asking the Sergeant such a question? I've always taught you to be honest, haven't I? Oh, yes. Yes, you have. Come on, Mary, it's almost art. Let's, let's walk and play for a while. All right. But children, don't you want to stay here with Sergeant Preston and King? We'll be back in a few minutes, Mom. You're not going out without putting on your mucklocks. We'll be right back, Mom. Am I imagining things or are they acting peculiar? You're certainly not imagining it, Mrs. Thomas. Why is Bobby taking food out there? Taking food? Where? Part of his been who's hidden in his shirt. He didn't know I was watching him when he hid it. He must be taking food to something. Sergeant, I think perhaps you'd better find out what they're doing. Yes, I think so too. Come on, King. I'll put a park on and be with you in a minute. Fags led to the old woodshed built quite far back of the cabin. King and I walked toward it quietly. As we approached, I could hear a puppy whimpering and I stopped for a minute outside the door. Yeah, it's hungry, but he won't eat. He can't chew this bread. He hasn't any cheese. Bobby, we just got it. Some milk for him. He'll die. And there's awful expense. And Mom keeps it way up on the top shelf. Maybe I can help you. Sergeant Preston. Oh, don't let King hurt him. Oh, well, what a nice pup. Someone give him to you? Uh-huh. He's very young, Bob. Where's his mother? She's... Bobby, remember our promise? We can't tell you, Sergeant. You sit so yourself. Oh, I see. What is it, Sergeant? First, children, what are you doing out here in this old shed? We seem to have a puppy about three days old and his origin is a sworn secret. A puppy? Sergeant, you don't think those dog thieves you're looking for... This is a very fine pup, Mrs. Thomas. Children, you must tell Sergeant Preston at once. Where did you get this puppy? We can't tell. It'll be worse than a lot. Well, this is a little complicated. But... But sometimes you don't keep promises. I mean... I mean... There are special cases. I... I don't know how to explain it. You both said a promise should be kept. Oh, you're right, Bobby. You don't have to tell. You keep your promise. But, Sergeant... Look what's coming in the door. It's old Bess herself. Oh, the puppy's mother! Bobby, look! Gee! Now, children, you must tell Sergeant Preston where these men are. In this case... Uh, never mind, Mrs. Thomas. You can go into the ethics of it later. It'll be a lot easier for King and me to backtrack Bess' trail and to follow their directions. Keep Bess here. I'll bring the rest of her puppies back to her. One, King. So, you see, Mike, Bess, by being a good mother, solved a lot of problems. And did you catch the dog thieves, Sergeant? Yes. King and I got them that evening. Matt Pearson got Bess back with all of her pups and sent to Thomas' children their pup had rewarded just as soon as it could be taken from its mother. And was Mrs. Thomas able to explain to them the promise wasn't binding if it's made to thieves? Well, I imagined she did, Mike. At times like that, I'm rather glad I'm a bachelor. 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 this same time. This is Larry McCann speaking. This is the Michigan...