 The challenge of the Yukon King the swiftest strongest of Eskimo lead dogs blazes the trail through storm and snow for Sergeant Preston as he meets the challenge of the Yukon Sergeant Preston was typical of the small band of Northwest mounted police who preserved law and order in the Yukon during the gold rush of 98 that was the year that brought over 50,000 men swarming into the Klondike region and the greed for gold led to frequent violence and bloodshed but in spite of the odds against them the force preserved a splendid record in maintaining the right the challenge of the north was answered and justice rule triumphant the Groundhog Cafe and high-top was crowded as Sergeant Preston and King made their way through the miners trappers and gamblers standing two and three deep at the bar hello Tom how's your luck tonight? not too good seems like a car to give me something to get in sometime well thanks I'll do that one of these days hello Clem well Sergeant Preston you ain't a sight for sore eyes how I fine fine how's everything with you never been better the place pretty crowded ain't it? well the Groundhog's never empty that's Mike's boast isn't it? say I guess you're looking for Mike well I'd like to see him but finding him in this mob seems hopeless oh he's back in his office come on drinks around the house if you mind to have some oh thanks Clem but you know it is yeah I know 24 hours a day on duty here you are Mike's gonna be glad to see you only yesterday he was asking about you who is it? I brought you a visitor Mike hello Mike how are you? Preston well it sure is good to see you sit down thanks yes sir Mike Golly I was wondering how long would it take you to get back to our neck of the woods whenever we hit high top you're the first person we look for hear that Clem? that's how the law feels about me no wonder you make sure the dealers shell out honest curds I guess I better be getting back to the tables see you later Sergeant right I'll stop by to see how much of Mike's gold you lose to those poker players don't you worry about me losing any Clem's a great boy you're lucky to have him working for you Mike he's honest and dependable you don't have to tell me I know it oh say that reminds me huh? funny thing happened the other day oh now Mike this isn't going to be another one of those stories are yours is it? no no this is on the level you remember what's wrong with my stories nothing except that by the time I get around to you every minor from Skagway to high tops told me the same story oh well as I was going to say you remember Egg Larson he used to work for me Larson? yeah we used to call him Egg because of the way his head stuck out in the back big fella yes yes I remember he could carry them cakes up from the cellar like there was a fella well what about him well he's back in town he wants to go to work again huh not that he wants to buy me out wants to buy you out Larson yeah I thought it was kind of funny myself when he made the offer but he meant it oh wait a minute Mike let me get this straight he used to sweep the floors here didn't he that's right but he wants to pay me ten thousand in cash for the groundhog of course I won't sell told him so too and he upped the price five thousand hmm he must have made a rich strike the man who was sweeping floors six months ago can't turn around and scare up fifteen thousand dollars cash just like that thought the same thing but when I asked him about it he said no well that is funny but then maybe he has some luck lately and he wants to keep it quiet is he still in town yeah says he ain't gonna leave till he makes a deal with me what's wrong with King what is it boy huh the window Mike stay back Mike I'm going to see who fired that shot oh no you don't I'm coming with you gone well come on let's follow him follow what he's mingled with that crowd now Mike hmm what are you looking for tracks can't tell much in this mud I don't understand who'd want to shoot us if King hadn't growl we'd have both been dead men right now I wonder I wonder which one of us he wanted to kill you mean you don't think he was after both of us I don't know Mike it was too dark to see his face all I saw was the muzzle of a gun I don't mind telling you a lantern do you have one inside oh yeah sure I'll get it for you well King old boy you saved a life I'll bring it over here will you Mike this is where he was standing alright now I bet he heard what we were saying too that wind up he listened for a few seconds before King warned us what how can you tell that well these tracks are deeper here see but they mingle with too many others them tracks could be made by almost any man in the Yukon well might as well go back inside I sure hate to think of whoever that was coming back to finish what he started he'll be back alright he'll be back Sergeant Preston carefully examined the bullet which had penetrated the wall but every minute they spent in the small office worried the cafe owner Sergeant I'll shoot it out with any man but I'm not gonna stay in this room and invite that rat to take another shot at us it ain't safe King will warn us Mike you know that I don't care even with that window locked it's no sign it'll stop a bullet come on let's go out front besides you said he'd be back I said that because I know criminals the first thing he'll do is to come back here just to make sure suspicion doesn't rest on him most of them return to the scene of their crime I don't think our mysterious friend is any exception to that that's fine just fine you got any idea when you'll be back no no I haven't well I'm not staying here I'll make sure this door is locked first alright it'll make you feel any better we'll go out good yeah it's locked I don't usually carry this I'm a peaceful man but I ain't taking any chances ready? mm-hmm and as for King here he'll get the best rations we got in the house say a man would have a lot more reason to kill you sergeant than he would me maybe you're trailing someone no Mike this is one time I've come to high top with a clean slate no clues to track down no one in particular to keep an eye on I can't figure it out well might as well go over and see how Clems make it out let's hope the house is winning yeah since you ain't had luck in anything else tonight hi Sam hello Mike do this away sergeant ready for another game, gents? what is it boy? easy Mike what are you he's growling again get that gun out of sight hey get that gun away from me get out of sight quiet King King, King that's it boy that's funny I've never seen King jump with a man like that before it must be because you're a stranger here egg now you remember Egg Larson don't you sergeant oh yes yes of course you just came in about ten minutes ago quiet King what's wrong with that dog well you better keep both hands in sight egg King seems to think when you reach for your pocket that you have a gun in there it's all right boys oh so that's it well I'll keep my hands in sight if that leaves his mind any that's better I hear you just got back to high top a few days ago yeah that's right I was over in Machete today just got in a little while ago so I thought I'd stop in for a few drinks I see place hasn't changed much since you left hasn't looks the same to me you ain't changed your mind about that deal we were talking about Mike me? oh no no I haven't changed my mind you want to buy the groundhog huh Mike told you huh yes what do you think of it sergeant the guys work in here sweeping floors and toting them barrels up from the cellar six months later he comes back with enough dough to buy the place sure wish I had that kind of luck you know Mike I think maybe you ought to listen to Egg's proposition I don't get you sergeant you don't mean you think I ought to sell out to him do you I think we all ought to go back to your office and talk it over how about it Egg sure suits me go back to my office yes Mike that's right back to your office how about you Clem can you leave the game for a few minutes me? oh sure I guess so hey lefty how about taking over for a while I think I'll make Mike a fair offer sergeant maybe you can talk him into cellar we'll see what's this all about why are we going back to my office King's already been right once tonight Mike yeah but what's that got to do with this you'll see you'll lay along with me for the next few minutes and keep your gun handy you might need it I don't know why you've got Clem in on this he'd never quiet I'm the level egg tell me just this much did you strike it rich would you think I got the money to offer Mike if I didn't but that's all I'm saying see I don't aim to have a lot of minors swarming around my claim there we are I'm offering Mike 15,000 for the groundhog sergeant and I'm willing to cut them in on half of whatever liquor I sell for six months after I take a place over that's fair enough ain't it hmm what do you think Mike it's just that I don't want to sell out sergeant I like the cafe business I didn't come up to the Yukon to do any prospecting what would I do with the money when I'd get it no sir in the first place the groundhog's worth more than 15,000 I wouldn't sell out for 25,000 I'd think a long time before going into the cafe business if I were you egg now listen I like this place I can remember when I was working here sweeping the floors now that I got some cash I'd like to own it you might say I got sentimental reasons sentimentality might not compensate for the headache you'd have I don't savvy well take tonight for instance oh what about tonight well Mike and I were standing here talking right here in this room someone took a shot at him through the window yeah he got away but his tracks are still outside the window why did anyone want to kill you Mike come on outside I'll show you the tracks I'd like to see them how about you egg don't forget the lantern Mike I want these tracks to show up plainly fraig you say there are tracks out there well Mike and I saw them not half an hour ago but you'll see them for yourself no no I'll just sit here you're all right stop where you are all of you I thought so well then you should have been prepared Sergeant Preston you thought you'd get me to stand beside them tracks out there and then you'd prove from my tracks that they'd both be the same well I ain't that dumb you yes me you had your chance to sell me this place and you wouldn't take it but I don't understand why why do you want it not just because you worked here maybe the sergeant here can answer that before I take time to aim again you've done all the talking this far egg for a reason why you should stop now and it won't do you much good to know that there's gold under this place gold that I found pulling them kegs around down the cellar I took care to cover it up for I left to make sure the secret was safe I borrowed the money I brought back to pay you off Mike gold in my cellar yeah only it's going to be mine and none of you will ever live to see a nugget of it look out in back of you just full of tricks huh thought I'd fall for that or get up King get that gun clerk get away from me all right King all right boy get up egg you heard me get up all right might interest you to know that I never would have suspected you but King had been for King King knew him that's right well I'll be if you hadn't thought of them footprint sergeant you'd have never caught him I got a hand it to you I don't hand it to me Clem those footprints are probably indistinguishable by now what do you mean this mud won't hold a footprint for half an hour the impressions probably left the footprint wouldn't be recognizable hey that's right that mud's almost like soup credit belongs to King Mike for solving this case and now Larson you'd better start thinking up an alibi for a charge of attempted manslaughter yes King the case is closed upholding the motto of the northwest mounted police sergeant Preston and the great dog King maintain the right and get their man don't miss their next thrilling adventure when they meet the challenge of the Yukon once again on Saturday at this same time un-King un-Yu-Huskies challenge of the Yukon a copyrighted feature of the challenge of the Yukon Incorporated brought to you every Saturday at this time originated in the transcription studios of WXYZ Detroit the characters and events in tonight's drama were fictitious