 In the circus, where there are always thrills, action and danger, hundreds of dramatic behind-the-scenes adventures are all part of the Clyde Vady story. Here is the story of Kodiak Killer. A couple of years ago, my wife Harriet and I spent the off-season in Almonte, California, close by our circus winter quarters. The thousand and one details it must be attended to for the next season kept us busy, with all signs pointing toward a big year. One night, with the spring opening still a month away, Harriet and I were relaxing in the living room of our home. Did you like the new costumes for the equestrian number, Clyde? Clyde. Oh, come again? Why, can't you take your eyes off Gretchen for a moment and pay some attention to me? Sorry, honey, but Gretchen's my baby. Well, she's mine too, but that's no reason for neglecting me and spoiling her. Well, you sound jealous. After all, it was your idea to adopt her when her mother died last year. I know, and I'm not really jealous, dear. Oh, by the way, she hardly touched your dinner tonight. Hmm, that's funny. Last night she ate ten pounds of raw meat and begged for more. That was last night. I don't think she's feeling well tonight. Oh, how about it, Gretchen baby? Aren't you feeling sharp? See, she's feeling fine. My error, dear. And while we're on the subject, don't you think we'd better cage her soon? Mrs. Murray dropped in the other day and Gretchen scared her half to death. Oh, Mrs. Murray's scared of her own shadow. That may be, but some people just don't appreciate a hundred pounds of lion cub charging at them, even in fun. I guess you're right. She is getting pretty big. Oh, I'll get it, honey. Okay. Telegraph for Mr. Beatty. You Mr. Beatty? That's right. Sign here, please. Okay. You bad baby. See what you did scaring that poor boy? It looks like Mrs. Murray is not alone. Oh, what's the telegram, Clyde? Let's see. From Anchorage, Alaska. Oh, from one of your Eskimo fans, no doubt. Bad guess, honey. It's from Ken Gordon. Oh, from Ken. And what does the Matanuska Valley farmer have to say? Remember the letter I got a few days ago from Ken, the one telling about the Kodiak bear that's gone on the rampage in that territory? Yes, I remember you mentioning something about it. Well, that bear is still at it. Killing livestock, and it's killed a man now, too. Oh, why don't they shoot it? Harriet, have you ever seen a Kodiak bear? No, I guess not. Neither have I, except in the museum. The one I saw there stood over 10 feet high, and they're just as tough as they are big. I guess they've got a real problem up there. Yeah, and it's our problem, too, honey. Our problem? What do you mean by that? Well, don't forget that we own a half interest in Ken's farm. Didn't we give him the money to get started, huh? Well, yes. Well, we can't afford to let a bear wreck the whole work, can we? It's already killed several head of dairy cattle. Clyde, you're not suggesting... We could fly up in our own plane and be back in a week or so. But Clyde... Get out your snowshoes, Mrs. Beatty. We're going to a... From the rampage in the Matanuska Valley. Clyde has decided to fly to Alaska in an attempt to kill the bear. And early the following morning is explaining his plans to his lot superintendent at Winter Quarter. We'll be back in a week or ten days, Bob. That is, if we're lucky. Clyde, have you flipped your lid completely? You can't chase off to Alaska at a time like this. We open in four weeks. I know, I know, but things are pretty well under control. I'm sure... We'll never be missed for a few days. My client... Think what an opportunity this is, Bob. I know, but... I can do the farmers up in that valley a big favor, and at the same time back myself a Kodiak Bear. Sure, but... And it'll give Harriet and me a change of scenery and a chance to see Ken Gordon. Yeah... And find out how our investment's coming along. That's great, but... You wouldn't want me to let a friend down, now, would you, Bob? Frankly, Clyde... Of course you wouldn't, so you see, we're agreed. Harriet and I are taking off in an hour. Be back before you know it. Oh, yes, Clyde. Why, Bob? You don't sound convinced. I just can't help feeling that it's crazy, Clyde. You've got a circus to think about, you know? And I'll still have it a week or ten days from now. That's not the point. Huh? The point is, will the circus still have you? You're worrying about my safe return? Well, tangling with a Kodiak Bear isn't exactly my idea of a parlor game. Well, think of it this way, Bob. Suppose you owned a farm and a giant bear started killing off your stock and endangering people's lives. What would you do? I'd move to the city, but... What you mean? But that's not the answer for the people up there. Well, I can see there's no use arguing. Go yourself a bear, you have my blessing. Add up, boy, Bob. I know you'd see it my way. Harriet and I hopped to Seattle that evening where we spent the night. Then next morning we were up bright and early and pushed off on the next leg of our long flight. We landed at Juno for fuel and some lunch, and by mid-afternoon we're within a couple of hours of anchorage. I sent him a telegram that we'd arrive at anchorage before dark. Here, honey, you want to take the controls a minute while I look at the map? All right. Let's see. You see that mountain peak off to our right? Uh-huh. That's Mount Williams, right on the course. I'd better make a position report while I'm at it. Play as the microphone. Thanks. From NC 748, anchorage radio from NC 748. Go ahead, anchorage from NC 748, routine position report, 10 miles west of Mount Williams, altitude 6,000, ground speed 155, estimating anchorage at 1745. Go ahead. Anchorage weather at 1520 was ceiling invisibility unlimited. That'll keep the CAA happy for a while. And I'll be happy when we get there. NC 748, go ahead. Our position now 20 miles southeast at 4,000, descending, request landing instructions. Go ahead, anchorage tower NC 748 out. Well, soft bed will feel good to me too. I just hope Ken doesn't want to stay up and gab all night. Well, we get to his place. Supposing his wife Jane wants to hear the latest gossip from the state. She'll just have to wait until morning. Well, that's fair enough. But we still got a 50-mile ride over some rough roads ahead of us. And if Ken still got the beat-up old clunker he had last time I was up there, it won't be a joy ride. Oh, it sounded plenty strong to me. That must be some bear. Is he still causing trouble, Ken? Nothing but trouble, Harriet. You know, this is a strange situation up here. We've had an early spring. All the animals have been hibernating during the winter, dropping around again. Now we're due for some more cold weather, and they're all caught short for food. This Kodiak's watered pretty far from home base, hasn't he? Yeah. Yeah, they don't usually get over this far east. It's not since the valley's been settled like it is now. Are there many other farmers? No, the government's made a lot of the valley available to homesteaders lately. Several ex-GIs have settled around here. Getting back to the bear, Ken, hasn't anyone tried to hunt it down? Well, a couple have tried it, but I don't think the odds were exactly in it. That's the most bear I ever hope to see, let me tell you. Well, then you've actually seen it. Yeah, just the other day he killed two more head of our dairy cattle. I saw my tail net for the woods right after. He must be half-starved to come that close to where people live, Ken. I had to catch up after hibernating, but it's more than just that. He's a natural killer. Gone kill crazy, I guess. I dread to follow him the other day myself, but he soon lost me. He shouldn't be so hard now, unless as if it's been thawing something. But he's a smart one, Clyde. It'll take some doing to get him. Well, we might see if Joe Dunbar wants to join us. He lives just a couple of miles from my place. Fine, can he handle a rifle? Well, he ought to be able to. He was in the infantry during the war. We should be a welcome addition, then. Well, if your game will get up early and go after him first thing in the morning. How about that, I guess. Maybe we better pack these snowshoes along just in case. Well, it looks pretty grim. It's not a bad idea. I'm not too sure how good this ammunition of mine is. How about loaning me a few rounds of the stuff you brought? I'm not saying it's fresh out of the factory and the latest in Hollow Point. Well, that rifle of yours looks all right, too. I think it'll do the trick. You fellas don't even believe in letting your breakfast settle, do you? Not today, Harriet. We're on our way. Jane in the kitchen? Just finishing the dishes, Kate. Well, I'll duck in and say goodbye to her. We might not be back for two or three days, honey, but that'll give you gals a good chance to visit. Well, I'll enjoy talking to Jane, but I wish I were going with you. In a way, I do too, but I think it's better this way. You're going to take Dunbar along if you'll go. I'd be happier if the whole National Guard went with you. That's an idea. You will be careful, won't you, Clyde? Why, of course, honey. Hey, what's the matter? Nothing, Clyde. Nothing. Well, let's get going, Clyde. What do you say? I say, what are we waiting for? Come on. I drew Dunbar Clyde. He's one of the best. I'm anxious to meet him. This is Clyde Bady. Hello, Mr. Bady. How are you, Mrs. Dunbar? Just fine, thanks. Well, it's so much about you. It seems like we've already met, almost. I've always said Ken talks too much. Well, we're not here to talk now. We're going after that Kodiak, Mary. But maybe, Joe, I'd like to come along. You're about an hour late, Ken. Joe's already on the warpath with that brown devil. What? He was here early this morning. Killed Joe's saddle horse. And he went right after it? He sure did. I never seen Joe so mad. He grabbed his carbine and tore right out. Said he wasn't coming back until that killer was dead. Well, maybe we can catch up to him. He went off into the woods just just to the east. Well, we shouldn't have too much trouble following the traction of the soft ground. Mrs. Dunbar, did I understand you to say it took a carbine? That's right. I think shall we go, Ken? Yeah. Take Yukon, Mary. You might be helping trailing Joe and that bear. Sure. Take him along. He's done nothing but yapping wine ever since Joe left anyway. Okay. Come on, Yukon. Hey, come on. Let's go find the boss. Good luck. Thanks, Mrs. Dunbar. Goodbye, Mary. Come on, Ken, we gotta hurry. Huh? What's the matter? After a Kodiak bear with a carbine, he might as well be armed with a slingshot. Hey, that's right. I hadn't thought of that. If he catches up to that killer before we catch him, he won't stand a chance. He's a neighboring farmer to enlist his help, only to find that he had left an hour earlier in pursuit of the killer and armed with only a carbine. Now, can you still see the tracks, Clyde? Yeah. These bear tracks are easy enough to follow. They're the biggest I've ever seen. Oh, he's a monster, all right. Well, we must be seven or eight miles into the woods, Beno. I thought we'd catch up by this time. Your friend Dunbar's no slouch when it comes to trailing. He's a good man. The weather's turning pretty better. He might get some snow out of this. Won't make our job any easier, I'm afraid. The lucky thing we brought Dunbar's dog along seemed to have a good nose on him. Oh, I don't think a bloodhound could do much better than Yukon. Joe takes him hunting all the time. I wonder why he didn't take him along this time. Probably didn't want to risk his getting chewed up. What time you got, Ken? Almost one o'clock. Hey, listen to Yukon. Yeah. Come on, he just went around that clump of brush there. He must have spotted something. I hope it's your friend. Look, lying on the ground there. I see him. Is it Dunbar? Yeah, I'm afraid so. He's been badly clawed. Yeah, poor guy. Still breathing, Ken. But I don't know how long he'll last. We've got to get him to some shelter. Yeah, but it's... Wait a minute. We can't be more than a couple of miles from old Walt White's cabin. It's near the river to the north. Walt White? Yeah, he's an old sourdough prospector. That's our best bet, then. We'll make a letter of some branches to carry him on. Yeah, what's the matter? Ken, look over there. Do you see what I see? What? Three empty cartridge cases. Yeah, from his carbine. And look here. Blood. A trail of blood. Dunbar wounded that bear, Ken. He'll be twice as mean now. Right. Well, we better get a move on here. Right. We can get him to that cabin. Maybe White can go into Parker for a doctor. Yeah, he must be home all right, Clyde. Smoke coming up from the chimney. That's a break, anyway. Where'd Yukon go? He's right back at me. Well, it seems to know his master's in bad shape. All right, here we are. Easy now. Yeah. That'll do it. Clyde, let me up. Move him into this, fella. He was attacked by that Kodiak bear that's been on the rampage over in the valley. Holy smoke. That bear done a thorough job on him. Just take him right over and put him on the bump there. Further from Shelby. Yeah. Oh, White. This is Clyde Beatty, friend of mine. How are you, Beatty? All right, thanks. Mr. White, Ken tells me there's a doctor over at Parker. Yeah, that's right. We won't be able to move Dunbar any further, White. Could you go for the doc and get him back here? Why, yeah, I reckon so. Let me have a look at him. Yeah, I'd go for the doc myself only. I'm not too familiar with how to get to Parker from here. It ain't easy if you don't know how. He's got to have help as soon as possible. It's too late, men. Ain't nobody can help him now. What? He's dead. He lived five minutes after what that bear done to him. Well, we can't do anything now, Ken. We might as well get back to the trail. Yeah, I guess so. You fellas ain't going out after that wounded Kodiak, are you? We sure are. But his wounds should slow him down and give us a better chance to catch up. Sure, but then what? Then it's up to us to put an end to him. Well, I suppose you know what you're doing, but if it was me, I'd leave him go. Somebody's got to kill him some time, White. It may as well be us. Well, I'll take Dunbar into Parker if you want. Anything else I can do? Just see that his wife gets word white and tell her we won't stop until that bear's dead. All right. Hate to see you going out, though. You'll have to get caught in that dang, that spring snowstorm you've ever seen. I can feel it. We'll just have to take our chances. Ready, Ken? Let's go. What's freezing? I can't see the trail anymore. Just follow you, Con. He's still able to follow the scent. Our old man White knows his weather. Starting to snow a little. Yeah, I've noticed. Yeah, we're shrunk. If it keeps up, it gets much worse before we catch up to the bear. I know it. That's why we've got to keep hurrying. Counting on that bear trying to find shelter and holding up for the night. Speaking of night, it'll be dark in less than an hour. We're a long way from home, pal. Looks like we camp out tonight. Bear or go-bear? Hey, look. Yukon's ring to the right at the river ahead. I see. Will the bear try to cross it? Do you think? I doubt it. He'll probably go along. Looks like a cave in the bank above the river there. That's just what it is. You better call him back, Ken. That's probably where our Kodiaks decided to spend the night. Yukon! Now, what do we do now, Clyde? It's practically dark. We'll have to find some shelter and make camp. Yeah, but what about the bear? Don't worry. He'll stay there till morning. We sure can't go in there after him now. I'm glad you said that, Clyde. I see an overhanging ledge at the bank on down a little way. I think with a fire in front, we can keep warm enough. And in the morning, we'll smoke that Kodiak out into the open. Looks like we're in for a long, cold night, Clyde. Think we've got enough driftwood? Yeah, I think that ought to do it. Brother, it's really snowing now. I just hope it stops before dawn. Sounds like we've got company. Timberwolf, huh? Yeah, nothing to worry about, I guess. Oh, it's all right, you guys. It's all right, boy, it's okay. Well, you better try to get a little shut eye, Ken. I'll keep the fire going and wake you up in a couple of hours. Oh, gosh, that's the best idea I've ever heard all day. There's no reason for me to be first. I'll match you for it. No, you go ahead. I'm not sleeping. Okay. Don't forget to punch me when you get that way. All right. What time does the sun come up this time of year? It'll be getting light long about five. Five. Nothing. Just anxious. Go to sleep, Ken. I'll rouse you in a little while. Rise and shine, Buster. Hey, what time is it? It's getting light in the east. I knew we were up and around. Oh, I thought you were going to rouse me and get some sleep yourself. Oh, never mind that. We got work to do. Yeah, it stopped snowing, at least. That's something. Yeah, it's about a six-inch blanket all over everything. Good thing we brought the snowshoes. Maybe drifted pretty badly in some places. You haven't seen any signs of the bear this morning, have you? He's still in the cave, but he probably won't stay in there long. Come on. Okay. Over there at the mouth of the cave, we went over to take a look just before I woke you up. Yukon's going crazy in front of the opening. Well, I hope he isn't crazy enough to go inside. He won't. You all set? Yeah. As soon as I get this one fast. There, let's go. Okay. You think we'll have to build a fire and smoke him out? I don't know. Maybe. But he might make a break for it any minute, especially with Yukon parking like that. You know, Clyde, up to this moment, it hasn't been too bad. But I'm beginning to lose a little of my enthusiasm for this business now. Relax, Ken. We'll all be over in a flash. That's for sure. One way or another. It's too close if you ask me. If we were both gone, let's Clyde. But my friend is exactly what I was thinking. He was one tough customer. Oh, it's all right, Yukon. He can't bother us now. Oh, brother, that was as close as I ever want to come. I never saw anything like it. I'm sure I was hitting him with every shot and he just kept coming on. I'm hitting him all right. Five shots that I could cover with my hand and every one of them through the heart. Yeah. Well, our job's done, I guess. Let's get back to civilization. No more for me, honey. Oh, I think this will do for the time being, Harriet. By the way, now that our trouble's been taken care of, what would you folks like to do? What is there to do? Well, I'm afraid we won't be able to hang around long, Ken. We don't get back soon. Bottle blow is stopped for sure. Oh, I was hoping he could stay a few days and just have fun. Clyde, right, Ken? We must get back. Well, hate to see you go, but I guess you know best. We're ever bothered by another Kodiak bear the while. Don't be looking at me, pal. Well, why not? You solved this problem, didn't you? Sure, but there's a much simpler solution, Ken, one that Bob suggested just before we left. Oh, yeah? What is it? Ken, old boy, if you're ever bothered by another bear, simply move to the city. See you of our next adventure in just a moment. For here is the star of our show, Clyde Bitty. Dark Continent. Well, I often wonder if South America isn't equally deserving of that title. At any rate, when Harriet and I were stranded in the vast jungles of northern Brazil, things never looked darker. You'll know why when you hear our next story, Amazon Adventure. Used by Shirley Thomas. Kodiak Killer was written by Robert T. Smith and Frank Hart-Paulson. Coincidental. This is a Commodore production.