 The challenge of the... The Wonder Dog King, swiftest and strongest of Eskimo lead dog, blazes the trail through storm and snow for Sergeant Preston as he meet the challenge of the Yukon. Sergeant Preston was typical of the small band of northwest-mounted 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 triumphantly. Inspector Grayson of the northwest-mounted police, the tall young sergeant who stood before him. Near the door lay a big gray dog with his nose on his front paws, but his eyes watching every move of his master. Sergeant Preston listened carefully to the inspector. I know the territory around Stewart's crossing isn't familiar to you. You have been over it, haven't you? Yes, sir. Twice. But you've always stuck to the trail. You haven't been through the mountains. Why, no, sir. I was always on the way to Dawson City. I'll see that you pick up an Eskimo guide as hell-curt. You can make him a spit-costable for this assignment. I'll send a telegram at once. Thank you, sir. I'm sending you on this case, Sergeant, because of your record and experience. These men have a hideout somewhere in the mountains. Your Dog King may be a help in finding it. These men are ruthless. They kill as well as rob. And as you know, the last mount he sent up in that region has never been heard from. I know that, sir. They rob and kill newcomers on their way to the chronic. Oh, we don't know exactly how many men are in the gang. It's up to you to find out all you can. You need help? Telegraph for it. Thank you, sir. Good luck, Sergeant. In a bar at Selkirk, Oolok, the best Eskimo guide in the territory, smiled proudly as he talked to a group of men around him. Me proud be special constable. You have every right to be, Oolok. You're sure gonna be a guide to the top-notch Mountie. Sergeant Preston. Hear him smart. Him catch killers. With him in a job, them dirty rats in the hills will be cleaned out in no time. Who's Sergeant Preston? Why, he's one of the best-known Mounties in the Northwest. He's got a dog that's as good as another Mountie. His name's King. Him got good dog team, too. I don't see how a dog can help him much. You've never seen a dog like this one. Preston spent years seeing him. One of the men has tried to kill Preston. They can't do it with King around. Funny I never heard of him. He ain't been stationed around here much. I knew him up in Dawson. I saw a man pull a gun on the second once, but before he even pulled a trigger, that dog was on him. Clamped his jaws on that man's wrist like a steel vice. He sure dropped that shooting iron in a hurry. Aren't you afraid to try tracing these robbers, Oolok? From what I hear, they're plenty tough. Me not afraid. Me know all mountain territory. With Oolok and that dog of his, Preston has a good chance of rolling them all up. Nobody's safe on that trail anymore. I sure hope he gets every one of them. Even murderers. We get them. When's this Sergeant Preston planning to get here? Him come down from Dawson. Take him about five days, I should think. Why, Rark? You plan to join up with the Mounted Police? No. I'd like to see this wonder dog of his. Tell Graham, say, him meet me at Mounted Police Headquarters here in Salkirk. Well, maybe I'll come back to town in about five days. Well, boys, I've got to get going. You're staying in town a few days. What's your, Rark? No, I changed my mind. See you in a week or so. Has he got a claim around here somewhere? A Rark? Sure, I don't know just where it is. Up in the mountain somewhere, I think. About a mile off the trail at the base of a mountain, a small cabin was concealed in a group of spruce trees. Three men sat around the huge stove, and the leader, Chris Mitchell, listened intently to Jim Rark. Maybe we'd better not have a... take a chance staying around here. As if Mountie can't be fooled. Ain't getting yellow, you Rark. You know better than that, Chris. I'm just thinking it might be smart not to tangle at Preston. What do you think, Charlie? Well, I ain't afraid of the law. We didn't waste any time with that other Mountie they sent after this. That's the way I feel about it. We can take care of this one. I was getting oolok for a guide. At Eskimo knows this mountain, he was born in them. Knowing the mountains ain't gonna help him if he gets a bullet between his ribs. That doggy's got to something to think about, too. He can tell anything they say. And he's strong and smart. Now, there's something I'd like to have. Mountie won't have any money on him, but a good, strong dog is valuable. Oh, because you're crazy. Everybody around here knows about that dog. You'd be caught in two weeks if you ever tried using them. Didn't say I'd use them around here, did I? A few more hauls like the last two we made and we're getting out of here. We need dogs to travel with. Then we can sell them when we get over the border. Good dog is bringing a high price in Alaska. When did he say this Mountie was coming to Earth? Well, they expect him in about a week. He's coming down from Dawson City. Uh-huh. Gives us plenty of time to get ready for him. Are we gonna try ambushing him on the trail? He'll have at Eskimo with him and the free lead dog. I think we better lead him off the trail. Lead him off? We'll lead him toward our cabin where the trail turns at the base of the mountain. But we don't want him to find our hideout. He won't find it. I got a scheme to catch this free lead dog. I'll make sure he don't get away. From what I hear about him, that sounds like a tough job. I say he's big and powerful. It won't be far away from the Mountie and take care of him separately. But how are you planning to do it, Chris? Yeah. Let's see what you think of this. Remember that big pit we found that the Eskimos dug to catch bear? You mean the one about a mile off the trail? Yeah. We put branches over it covered with snow. There's a pile of rocks near to where we can hide. We leave a trail that they can follow that leads over it. Preston's lead dog goes ahead following our sential brakes through. While Preston and the Eskimo are getting them out of the pit, we'll do our shoe from the rocks. Hmm. Sounds if it might work. But maybe he won't follow the tracks off the trail. Just what he'll be looking for, won't he? He doesn't know we expect him around here. He sure was lucky you bumped into that Eskimo in the bar last night. He'll follow the tracks all right. And a mile we'll get down and fix that pit covered. He won't be here for almost a week. We get it fixed a mile so it'll be covered with snow. Should get a good snowstorm between now and when he gets here. Then we lay low for a few days and start watching the trail about Friday. And Mountie's gonna get a reception he didn't expect. Sergeant Preston arrived in Selkirk three days before Ulach expected him. As they started out on the trail into the mountains, the Eskimo was amazed at the speed and stamina of the Mountie's dog team. That dog team fast. That's why you get here so soon. I had an easy trip down from Dawson, Ulach. The weather was fine. I had bright moonlight. That's why I made this good time. That meat was good. King keeps the dogs going at a fast pace. I wore them off. I didn't stop him. I expected to get here about Friday. We start two days early. That's just as well. Sooner we find these in the better. The trail for men rock. I don't want to go up the mountain in daylight. I may have lookouts posted. I think we'll go back and camp till after dark. Sergeant, we fight tracks. The main tracks leading off the trail? One man. Where, Ulach? Snow. Partly cover them. Yes, you're right, Ulach. Someone went off the trail here where it turns up the mountain. Trail hard to follow in dark. We can't wait to follow this one. Maybe just a trap will lives around here somewhere, but I'd like to find out. You take the dog team back and make camp. I'll take King and see where these tracks lead. Hey, King! Preston and King had difficulty following the tracks that had been covered by a light snowfall the night before. About a mile from the mountain trail Preston following behind the big dog suddenly heard a crash of breaking branches. King struggled a moment, then disappeared into the pit as Preston rushed to the edge of it. King, King old fella, did not hurt are you, boy? We'd like to get some of these branches off. I'll get you out. Here's your leash, boy. Take it. Now, hang on, fella. I'll pull you out. I'll get a hold of your collar. There you are, boy. You're out. Now, let's see. Your leg's all right. Well, lucky you weren't hurt. That hole is deep. Come on, fellas. It's getting dark. We're going back and find Ulach. Sergeant Preston finished the meal that Ulach had prepared in the camp back off the trail. Vamauti was still puzzled about the covered trap into which King had fallen. The only explanation I can see is that someone expecting to be followed laid a trap like that to slow up whoever was after him. Get not used in winter for animals. Bear sleeps for winter. Yes. Those branches were fresh, so it's been covered recently. Maybe someone know you'll come here? I wonder. Why weren't they watching? You'll get here two days soon. Look, we're going back to that bear pit tonight and fix it just the way it was. We'll cover it with starting to snow now and by morning our tracks and branches will be covered. I'll camp somewhere overlooking the trap and we'll see who comes to look at it tomorrow. It was after dark the following night when Sergeant Preston returned to the camp where Ulach waited anxiously. I'm afraid something happened to you, Sergeant. I couldn't believe Ulach. They were watching the trap all day from behind some rocks. They did a strange thing. They left definite tracks leading off the trail directly to the trap. You know, Ulach, I think they expect us. But they didn't know we'd get here so soon. What do you do? Well, the place where I was hiding is slightly above the one where they'll wait in ambush. Now, I'm going back there with King tonight. I'll give you, my Parker and Cat, and I want you to follow the tracks to the bear trap tomorrow. Then think me, Sergeant Preston. Let that big gray dog, Chap, lead team. Don't think he's King. Can you let dog fall in trap? Yes, Ulach. That's evidently what they planned. I'll protect you from where I'm watching. King will be with me. It was Dayline, and Chris, Charlie and Rourke crouched behind the rocks that overlooked the covered trap. Well, you saw the mountainy coming along the trail, Rourke. It must have been him. He was wearing the same fur hat all the mounies wear. Now, that big gray dog is leading the team. Now, what do you think happened to the Eskimo guy? Maybe he didn't use him. Yeah, it's him all right. Now, as soon as that lead dog falls into the pit, I'll let him have it. Now, wait till he starts tearing away the branches and lynching. Well, he sure broke the trail for him. He's making good time. There he goes. That lead dog is almost off to the trap. He's breaking through. Now, wait now. He's bending over. I need a bead on him. I'll fill that gun. What did you call him? No, you don't. Get him. Keep your hands up, you two. No, my arm! Take him off! Take his dog away! All right, King. All right, boy. I'll get his gun. Now, stand up there with the other dogs. Oh, my arm! You're all under arrest. He ain't a mounie. I'm not in full uniform, but I am a mounie. That's impressive. You all right? Yes. We caught them and we're looking for you, luck. That man there. Him, man, I talked to in bar before you come. His name, Rourke. You're crazy after all. So that's how they knew we were coming. Here we'll look and cut them together. Watch them, King. 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 Radio Network.