 It's Yukon King, swift as the strongest lead dog of the Northwest, blazing the trail for Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police, in his relentless pursuit of lawbreakers. On King, on you huskies. Gold, gold discovered in 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. Pierre Lamont was a big, good-natured trapper, who had a cabin on Beaver Run outside of Selkirk. Pierre was a friendly man, and not the type to keep his affairs to himself. Every time he paid a visit to town, he'd talk to anyone who would listen about his work and the progress he was making. One day, Pierre entered the store. As he stomp of snow from his feet, boomed out a greeting to the storekeeper, Mike Clancy, into the group of men lounging around the big store. Good afternoon, everybody. Hello, Pierre. It is good to get in out of the cold. Hi, Pierre. Catching much these days, Pierre. Oh, you just wait and see. Pierre, I was thinking of just about time you came in for more supplies. How are things up on Beaver Run these days? Oh, I am most satisfied, one of me. Others bring you gold to pay for what they buy, but I bring you such like these. What did you bring? A couple of Beaver skins? Oh, wait until you see, Mike. I shall open the package to show you. Now, wait. There. Oh, is this not a beauty, eh? A white fox skin. Say now that is a beauty. No mistake here. I'll pay you a top price, but all you can get me like that. I shall bring you plenty, Mike. There are many of them hanging in my drying shed. I leave the gold for the others to dig. While Pierre sets the traps, then sits in the warm cabin waiting for the skins to get themselves caught. You've got something there, Pierre. You socked away a nice pile of cash in the bank last season after you sold your catch. Oh, we. I do not complain, Mike. This season I have already catched twice as many. Glory be. Maybe I ought to sell out my trading post and take the trap and so as to get rich quick. What do you have here? Oh, here is at least. Good. I'll get the stuff together for you right away. Well, there is no hurry, one of me. I shall spend maybe two, three hours at the café before I start back. And now I go to have the fun, eh, Mike? Goodbye. Goodbye, Pierre. Frenchie must do plenty good with this trep plan, eh, mister? Sure, and he makes more than most of these gold diggers around here. You can bet on that. What's more, you must be new around here, or you wouldn't go calling him Frenchie. Nobody in town ever calls Pierre that. He doesn't like it. That's what he is, and that's what I'll call him. Whether he likes it or not. Suit yourself, mister. But like I said, you must be new around here. Yeah, yeah, I got here a few days ago from Dawson with this fellow here. I'm Milo Craddock, and this is my friend Smitty. I'm glad you know both of you. My name is Mike Clancy, and as you probably know, I own this store. Maybe you'll be needing tools and supplies if you came here to stake a claim. Eh, we haven't decided what we want to do yet, have we, Smitty? No, but we'll have to do several soon if we don't want to run out of cash, Milo. Well, stop worrying, we'll get along. Eh, well, we'll stop in again, Mike. Come on, Smitty, let's go to the café for a while. Better keep in mind what I told you about Colin Pierre Frenchy. He's a mighty tough scrapper when it comes to a fight, mister. I'll be careful, Mike. Thanks for the tip. Let's go, Smitty. Milo and Smitty went to the café and sat at a secluded table. For a while they watched Pierre laughing and joking with some of the other men. Well, it is time I must go. Then, as Pierre went out, Milo spoke. We've decided on how we're going to get plenty of cash, Smitty. How? That Frenchman who just went out. Well, how do you figure that? You must have plenty of cured skins ready for selling in that dry and shed he is. We don't even know where his cabin is. Eh, you ought to pay attention like I do. I heard somebody at the store ask him how things are up on Beaver Run. So I figured that's where he's located. When do you plan to grab him? We'll wait until we see him heading out of town from the store. Then we'll get our dog team and trail him. We'll clean out the shed tonight while he's sleeping. Then head for Whitehorse with a furs. I know somebody there who will take him off our hands at a good price. Now, let's get out of here so we can see when Frenchy leaves town. Come on. On his way back to the store, Pierre met Sergeant Preston and his great dog, Yukon King. Oh, hello, dear. Glad to see you. Sergeant Preston! Hey, King! Oh, it is always good to see you both. I've been in Selkirk very long, Sergeant. A couple of days, Pierre. King and I are on patrol. We'll be leaving here in a day or two. You caught much this season? Oh, may we. I have many fine skins already. Some of them are white fox. White fox, eh? The severe weather must have driven them down this way. For such weather, then I am thankful. Oh, when I sell my furs this season, I shall get married to Marie Gaston de Widow. That's fine. Marie's just right for you, Pierre. She's doing very well running her boarding house. Oh, such onion soup my Marie can cook, Sergeant. Oh? Tomorrow she has told me to come for noon dinner. That I would not miss. Well, why don't you stay in town tonight instead of going back to Beaver Run? I did not know until I stopped on the way into town that Marie wanted me to come to dinner. It is not far to my cabin. I'll go there and return tomorrow with a white foxkin for Marie. She'll appreciate a gift like that. I must go now to get my supplies and take them home. Perhaps before you leave I shall see you again, Sergeant. And you too, King, eh? Goodbye, Sergeant. So long, Pierre. Give my regards to Marie. Come along, King. Pierre Lamont finally left town with his dog, sled and traveled the trail toward Beaver Creek, four miles away. When Smitty waited until he was out of sight, then they started with their dog team and followed Pierre's tracks. But they moved along the trail, Milo was saying... I'm hoping we'll be able to get to his shed without him here in us. What about his dogs? They'll raise a ragged, Milo. They'll stop before we get near the cabin and wait. Then I'll take some of that smoked caribou I brought along and throw it to his dogs. That'll keep them from barking when we bring our own dogs to the shed. I hope we don't have to wait too long, Milo. I like the cold. We'll find a spot to hold up until we're ready to grab the furs. Don't worry. I'd rather wait until he's sleeping so as to avoid trouble. They may stay up a long time. Well, I doubt it. Anyway, we'll wait long enough to make sure. We can afford to be a little cold for what we're going to get out of it. All right, mush you huskies. Come on, mush! When the two crooks came within sight of the cabin, they saw that the shed was some distance behind it. They stopped behind a ridge which protected them from the wind. Oh, you huskies! Well, well, look, Smitty. We won't have to wait. That shed is about a hundred feet behind the cabin. Yeah. Once you make sure the dogs will be quiet, we'll move in with our sled and get the furs. You wait here. I'll go ahead with the caribou and toss to his dogs. Then I'll wait for you. All right. Still light enough for me to see you, Wave. I'll go under the sled and circle around to the shed. Keep behind the ridge so you won't be seen by Frenchie and come along and back to the shed. All right, I'll make sure he don't see me in case he looks out the window. Now, you better get going. Inside the cabin, Pierre prepared a light supper. Then he was about to get ready for bed when he remembered something. Oh, my God. I've almost forgot to bring in the white fox skin to take to my mouth. The dogs, they must have caught you jack-grabbing back near the shed. They are snapping over something to eat. The dogs, which usually burrowed into a snow bank alongside the shed, were snapping over the dried caribou Milo had thrown to them. When he reached the pack, Pierre stopped them over and watched them. Then he noticed what they were scrapping over. Oh, that is no strange. These dried caribou they're eating. Get away! Get back there! Well, at least I do not understand it all. Look at the dogs get these caribou. The back door of the shed must have blown open. Well, like with the padlock on. Hmm. We'll go see about these strange business. Inside the shed, Milo and Smitty had heard Pierre speak to the dogs outside. They had broken the padlock to get in and had left the door slightly open. Smitty spoke in a low tone. Milo, did you hear that? French is coming this way. The door blew right up. I'm sure to come here now to investigate. Put out the lantern, please. All right. I now hurry. We'll get behind the pile of furs we left near the door. Come on. Down quick. Get your gun handy. Let him come inside. Then I'll sock him with my gun butt. Here he comes. The pile of furs here near the door. There is something wrong. Yes, so there is French here. No, you will not. Stealing my furs, eh? That I shall not stand for. This French is a fighter. French here is a word I do not allow. Take this. Turn him around, Milo. I'll fix you. All right. I did it. Hit him on the back of the head with my gun, buddy. We better make sure he's out. Yeah, he's out cold. That French is sure as hard to handle. Are we going to get rid of him? No, he was putting a bullet in him, if that's what you mean. It was too dark in here for him to get a good look at either of us. Get away with the furs and leave him right where he fell. What if he comes too many times soon? No, don't worry. The fire in the stove here for drying the skins is almost out. Put the door wide open. He'll probably freeze before morning. Come on. Get busy loading those furs. While Pierre lay where he had fallen near the open door, Milo and Smitty carried out all the furs and loaded them on their slant. Finally, they were ready to leave. Smitty, we got them all loaded. He sure wasn't talking through his hat when he said he had some furs, Milo. They'll bring a mighty big price. Left cash in our pockets again. Say, do you think we ought to carry the Frenchman into his cabin and leave him there? Why bother? Well, I've been thinking of what you said a while ago. If he lies there, morning he'll be frozen stiff. That's his hard luck. What if he does freeze to death? We'll be hunted for murder. Haven't you thought of that? What do you mean we'll be hunted for murder? Who's gonna know we were the ones who did it? If the money's come out here and pick up a trail. Don't be stupid. How was anyone gonna pick up a trail in this snow? The tracks will be covered half an hour after we leave here. Yeah, I didn't think of that. But before we leave, we better make sure he's still unconscious. Come on. He's out for a long time. We got nothing to worry about. Look, as long as nobody will be able to follow us anyway, let's take him into cabin. It won't take us very long. Mitty, you must be getting soft. What do you care if he freezes? What makes you so squeamish? That's one thing nobody will ever say about you, Malo. I bet you'd watch your own brother die if you'd gain back. First, I don't have a brother. And second, if I had, he'd have to take his chances while I took mine. Every man for himself these days, so get wise to yourself. Come on. Let's get back to the sledge. Hey, uh, are you sure you've got all your belongings out of the board and house before we left? Uh-huh. Good. You know, that French woman Marie is going to raise the roof when she finds we skipped out without paying our rent. Hey, maybe she'll go to Monty's to report that. What if she does? That's the guys who jumped their room rent. Well, at least I ain't going to waste their time trailing somebody just where a few measly does. Stop worrying and get on the runners. I'm tired, sir. I'm going to ride the sledge. All right, Smitty. I'm plenty warm with all these furs covering me. Let's get going. Monsieur Husky! For some time after the two crooks had left with his valuable furs, Pierre lay unconscious on the floor of the shed. Finally, he stirred, and daisily got to his feet. No. His head is bursting. Pierre slowly staggered from the shed. He was almost numb with cold, and his one thought was to reach the warmth of the cabin. It's cold. I must get to the cabin. Let's find my furs. My furs are on the floor. Pierre tripped over one of the huskies that had burrowed in the snow. Immediately, the whole pack were snapping and snarling about here. Get back. Get down. This is the cabin. My burger. Slowly, he stumbled toward the cabin, and at last reached the door. What soup in the door? Stove. Once inside, he staggered to the bunk and fell apart. Let's bring you white fox. They took my furs. All of them. Now the white fox is all gone. All gone. Mumbling in a delirious way, Pierre tossed about for a few moments, and then once more, he lost consciousness. It was noon of the following day when Sergeant Preston, with King at his side, knocked on the door of Marie Gaston's boarding house. Hello, Marie. Sergeant Preston. Thanks. Come along, King. I knew Pierre would be here, and I wanted to say goodbye to him. But Pierre did not come, Sergeant. I did not think he would treat me so. Well, that's strange. I met him yesterday. He told me you wouldn't miss your dinner for the world. So? That is what he tells me also. Then he does not show up at all. I see that you're angry about it, but frankly, Marie, I'm a little worried. What? I know Pierre, and I know how he feels about you. From what he said, nothing could keep him away, except an accident. An accident? Oh, I did not think of that. Something has happened to my Pierre. Oh, Sergeant, you must do something. You must. Now, calm down, Marie. I shouldn't have put the idea into your mind. But now I am sure I feel inside of me that he has met with the accident. King and I will go to Pierre's cabin and find out why he didn't come to town today. I shall go with you. I could not stay here. Please, Sergeant. All right, Marie. I'll get my dog sled and come back for you in about 20 minutes. You'll be ready. Yes, yes, of course. I shall be ready. Do hurry. We'll be back as soon as possible. Come along, King. After getting his dog sled and team, Sergeant Preston returned and picked up Marie. And then, with King leading the pack, they started for Pierre's cabin. A light snow had begun to fall. By the time they arrived outside the cabin, theirs were the only tracks to be seen. I am coming in with you, Sergeant. Yes, of course. Let's go in. Come along, King. Sergeant is so worried. It doesn't matter. I'll try to latch. The door's unlocked. Come on. Jean-Luc, there's the bomb. Pierre is sick. Oh, you must not. You cannot steal my food. He's been hurt, Marie. Look here on the back of his head. Oh, my poor Pierre. I'm delirious. Heat some water, Marie. Hurry. Yes, Sergeant. For a short time, Sergeant Preston and Marie worked in silence, giving first aid to the injured Pierre. Once Preston went out and then returned and spoke to Marie. He is resting easier now. Oh, that's good, Marie. I looked in the shed behind the cabin. All Pierre's furs are gone. That explains why someone attacked him. If I could get my hands on the thief who hurt my Pierre, I would strangle him. But, Sergeant, we must do something. I cannot stay here, yet Pierre must have attention. Can we not take him to town to my boarding house? He could ride this sled with me to hold him. Well, he should have a doctor look him over. All right, Marie, we'll take him to town. Help me put his park on him. All right. And we'll wrap him in a blanket and I'll carry him to the sled. Sergeant Preston and Marie made a quick trip back to town with the injured man. Pierre was made comfortable in a room at Marie's boarding house. At a short time later, the town doctor bent over him. Must not call me Frenchie. And I do not like... Must get the white fox for my Marie. What do you think, Doctor? He had developed a high fever, but the skull doesn't seem to be fractured. I need a certain drug, Sergeant. I'll write it down. Do you see if Mike has it at the trading post? Yes, of course. Ah, this is what I want. There. I'll go right over to Mike's now. Hey, Sergeant, I heard about Pierre. How is he? Still delirious, Mike. Here, the doctor wants this prescription. Sure, I'll have it for you in a jiffy. How did it happen, do you know? Someone stole Pierre's furs. I figure it took more than one man to rob him. Sure, he's plenty strong. He keeps muttering about being called Frenchie, for one thing. Frenchie? Said there were a couple of fellas in here yesterday asking about Pierre. Huh? One of them, a big man, used the name Frenchie when he spoke of Pierre. They seemed interested in his trap and all. They heard Pierre telling about how well he was doing. I see. They'll come to think of it. I learned they stopped at Marie's for a couple of nights, too. You could find out if they still have a room there. I'll do that, thanks. Here's the stuff the doc wants. Good. See you again, Mike. Goodbye, Sergeant. After delivering the prescription to the doctor, Sergeant Preston questioned Marie about the two men Mike had spoken of. Are they still living here, Marie? No, Sergeant. They live certainly and without paying me either. All I found in their room was an old sock. Good. But that is not good. What do you expect me to get for such a thing? Marie, I want that old sock. It may be the means of helping King and me capture those thieves. Oh, then I shall get it for you. They got and punished for what they did to Pierre. Don't worry. If those two with the men who hurt Pierre installed his furs, they'll be punished, I promise. After receiving the worn sock, Sergeant Preston and King stopped by to pick up the constable. Hi, Sergeant. What's up? Pierre Lamont was attacked and robbed of his cabin, Jim. The thieves got away with all his furs. Is that so? When did it happen, Sergeant? Sometime yesterday afternoon, I think. Did Pierre come into town? Did he come here to report the robbery? I went out there and brought him to town. He's embedded Marie's boarding house under the doctor's care. Got a bad blow in the head. I went out there with Marie a while ago to investigate after Pierre failed to keep a dinner appointment at Marie's. He told me yesterday morning that nothing would keep him from that dinner. I went back to his cabin to get a present for Marie. They found him delirious. That's bad. Have any idea who might have done it? Mike, the storekeeper, told me about two drifters at Pierre at the store yesterday. After they found out, he had the furs. Maybe we'd better pick them up for questioning. They've left town. They stayed two days at Marie's and left owing their board bill. And they might be the ones who robbed Pierre. That's what I think. Let's go out to Pierre's cabin and look things over, Jim. Sure. Wait till I get my park on. I doubt if they'd go very far in the storm last night. Well, I'm ready. Good. I have my dog team outside. Let's go, King. You ride the sled, Jim. All right. Up front, boy. All right. On King. On you, Husky. Sergeant Preston and the constable started out along the trail to Pierre's cabin with King leading the dog team. Preston was saying... If Pierre hadn't been as strong as he is, he might have died from the cold, if not from the blow he received. What do you hope to find when we reach the cabin, Sergeant? Hope to pick up the trail of the crooks, Jim. Sergeant, how do you expect to trail anybody now? Stop snowing, but there's been just enough to cover all tracks. If the two men Mike told me about had anything to do with this, Jim, the sock they left behind will be all King needs to pick up their trail in spite of the snow. There's the cabin now. Yes. We'll soon find out if the sock's going to help. Oh, King, how are you? Let's go inside. Come on, King. Come on. Here, King. Get the scent, boy. Find them, King. Find. The great dog seemed puzzled. He sniffed around the cabin, with no signs of picking up the scent. And then he came and stood before his master, whining in puzzlement. Looks like that sock isn't going to be of any use after all. It means only one thing to me, Jim. If those two men did it, they didn't come into the cabin. What do we do now, Sergeant? We'll go out to the shed. Come along, King. A short time later, the two mouties stood just inside the shed, watching King. The intelligent dog once more sniffed the sock and then moved about for a moment in the shed. Then he barked loud. King swarmed the scent. It was the owner of that sock who came here. Find them, King. Find them. Come on, Jim. Look, King's over there. He's found something in the snow. A white fox pelt. They must have dropped it here when they loaded the sled. We'll get our dog team and take up their trail. Let's hurry. They have a good head start. Meantime, Milo and Smitty, the two crooks had traveled for several hours southward. Then they had stopped for food and rest at a deserted cabin along the trail. The following morning, seeing that snow was falling and had covered their trail, Milo decided there was no hurry in pushing on. We might as well put up here until we're sure the storm isn't going to get any worse, Smitty. Now that our trail is covered, nobody could find us anyway. Looks like luck is with us, Milo. That's right. We get plenty for those skins when we get the white horse. I don't go much for traveling in the snow and cold anyhow. Neither do I. We'll wait and see how the weather is this afternoon, and if it clears up, we'll set out around five o'clock. It's about three hours to the settlement of Bear Creek, so we get there after dark and won't attract attention. Then we could push on at dawn tomorrow. And now let's rustle up some more grub. I'm still hungry. The snow had stopped. At about five o'clock, the two crooks were preparing to leave the cabin when the door suddenly opened. Look, a couple of monies. I'll get one of them. As Smitty, wounded in the shoulder, reeled against him momentarily, Milo suddenly grabbed a wounded man using him as a shield while he faced the two mouties. You won't get me. Let me go. They'll plunk me again. Maybe they will shoot you just to get at me, Smitty. But if they don't, I'll get both of them. Let him go and drop your gun. You better shoot him to get me. I figured you were squeamish about doing that, so both of you drop your guns. Both mouties hesitated as Milo watched them warily. It was against their code to shoot a wounded and unarmed man, such as Smitty, and yet with him as a shield, Milo might use his gun against them at any minute. I said to drop those guns, Milo. It was then that Sergeant Preston saw out of the corner of his eye a gray shadow moving along in the dimness near the cabin wall. It was the great dog King whom Milo hadn't seen. The intelligent dog had sensed that he must get to the man who was holding Smitty. Moving slowly and keeping low, King crept along until he was behind Milo. At that moment, Milo made a threatening gesture. Preston spoke. Well constable, we might as well drop our guns. King sprang. The force of his sudden and unexpected attack knocked Milo off balance. He dropped his hold on Smitty as the dog grabbed the desperate crook's gun arm. Help! Take him off! Get your gun, Jim. Quick. Got it, Sergeant. All right, down, King. Down for the watching boy. That dirty mutt hadn't got in here. Careful, you. King doesn't like to be called mutt any more than Pierre likes to be called Frenchie. You're under arrest in the name of the crown. Let's get these crooks and the furs back to Selkirk as soon as possible, Jim. Right. Come on, you. Let's go. That's all right. Come on. The following morning, Sergeant Preston, the constable, Mike and King were beside Pierre's bed where Marie was fussing over him. Marie wore a beautiful, gleaming white pelt around her neck in spite of the warmth of the room. As she leaned over Pierre, she was saying... See, my Pierre, this beautiful white fox which you meant for me to have is at last brought to me. Oh, it is you who make it seem more beautiful, Marie. Oh, no, isn't that romantic, are you asking? But, of course, you see, Mike, romance is in the heart of everyone in France. Ah, get away with it, Colleen. It is the Irish who are the romantic souls, especially if there ain't a good fight going on at the time. You went through a lot just to prove his romantic nature, Mike, but at last Marie did get her white fox. We have to give King some of the credit for that, Sergeant. Oh, he's a beautiful king. For him, I also have much love. Look at that now. King is pleased as I'll get out to have Marie hugging him. I can understand that, Mike. Pierre is a very lucky man. He's well on the road to recovery. His fears have been returned and the crooks are in jail. Now, all I'm waiting for is to be best man at his wedding. Then this case will be closed. In our next adventure, a messenger has just arrived at the customs house at White Pass. With a report to the major in charge. Major? Yes? I have a message from Sergeant Preston. From Skagway? Yes, sir. There are a lot of crooks down there, crooks that you've turned back at the border. Tonight, they're going to force their way through the pass. Not this pass? No, sir. Chillcute. What? There are only two men on duty there. That's what the sergeant said. He's going to help them out, but they'll need reinforcements. There's no doubt of that. I only hope he can get them there in time. A hundred desperate men, greedy for gold, and determined to force their way into the Yukon are storming the Chillcute Pass. Only Sergeant Preston and two other members of the force are there to stop them. How long can they hold out against such odds? Don't miss this thrilling adventure tomorrow. These radio dramas, a feature of the challenge of the Yukon Incorporated, are created by George W. Trendle, produced by Trendle Campbell Enterprises, directed by Fred Flower Day and supervised by Charles D. Livingston. The part of Sergeant Preston is played by Paul Sutton. They are brought to you every Saturday and Sunday. This is J. Michael wishing you good bye and good luck until tomorrow. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.