 The challenge of the Yukon. King, the swiftest and 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 ruled triumphant. The jail in Machate City was a small building that had sturdily withstood the fury of Yukon's storms and the strength of desperate prisoners bent on shaking its dust from their feet. In the light of early morning, two men stood talking to the one inmate who nervously paced the floor. I think I like walking up and down this place. Waiting for you two? Oh, take it easy, Kong. Easy. I'm warning you. If you think I'm gonna rotten this place while you two walk free, you're daft. It takes time to figure this out. I ain't got much time. Neither of you. Unless you get me out of here soon, you might just as well move in now. I'm not hanging alone. Get me? You won't hang? No. You're done right. I won't hang. I got enough on you to see you both swing and the Mountie knows at sea. All I gotta do is open my mouth. This can't spring you overnight. This place is tighter than a drum. My patience ain't gonna last much longer. You got another week, ain't ya? Another week. Last Tuesday it was two weeks. Tomorrow it'll be six days. Then five, then four. And it's me that's getting closer to that noose, not you. How I get out of here is your worry. Listen, Kong, we ain't let you down yet. Just wait a little while. We'll get you out. Don't worry. Come on, let's get out of here. Remember what I said. You all true boys? Yeah, we just wanted to cheer Kong up a bit. I guess he needs to, and I'll tell the sergeant you two dropped in to see him. That's all right with us. Outdoors, the two men walked aimlessly through the straggly settlement of frame buildings. One thought was uppermost in both their minds. If he talks ace, we're as good as done for him. Yeah. That Mountie's been waiting to pin something on us for a long time now. We either gotta make sure Kong keeps quiet or get him out of there. How? I don't know. Come on, let's go in and have a drink. I can sure use one. Hey, use your shorty. You two beat? Yeah. Boys sure look low enough. Of course, I can't say I feel much better myself if I was in your shoes. What do you mean? Well, it ain't none of my business, but everybody knows Kong ain't leaving this world unless you two go with him. Your business is filling the glasses. You better stick to it. Oh, he didn't mean nothing ace. Come on, let's sit down. That's good. It'll be nothing. Yeah. Looks like it ain't no secret. Hell, that's one of the reasons we can't catch that Mountie off guard. He's the first guy I ever met. You couldn't buy off. Ain't no use talking about buying them off. You could assume buy off the Queen's crown. Trouble with these Mounties is you can't buy them or scare them. And he swore to get us. Well, if we don't get Kong out of that jail, he ain't going to have much trouble doing it either. You know, if he only had a weakness, he don't drink. He ain't got a family. What's a family got to do with it? Well, you ain't forgetting how to think, are you? If he had a family, we could say, hey, you're right. What do you mean, right? I ain't said nothing yet. Sure you did. Don't you see? See what? You're going local ace. Oh, listen, he ain't got a family, right? I just said that. Yeah. But he's got that mud of his, ain't he? He thinks an awful lot of that dog. Oh, yeah. I see what you mean. And what's to stop us from doing? Oh, you're right. We'll have that Mountie eating out of our hands. Later that day, as Sergeant Preston was entering the jail... Sergeant Preston! Yes? You want to see me a minute? You want to see me about Kong? You know the answer. Well, as a matter of fact, that's what we did come to see about. I won't release him under any circumstances. I'm just sorry you boys aren't in there with him. Well, we warned you, Mountie. We ain't asking anymore. Next time we'll demand that you release him. I haven't time to listen to threats. You'll have time, all right. What do you mean by that? You'll either let Kong out or else. Later that night, with darkness to cover them, the two men walked quietly down the street. I tell you, I saw him at the jail not a half hour ago. All right, I just want to be sure. I'm sure. Don't worry about that. There's a light in the office. I see him. He ain't taking no chances. But this is one thing you ain't expecting. You have a blanket ready? Yeah. I'll walk in front of the mutt to get his attention. Can you drop the blanket over him before he can set up a haul? Yeah. Remember, a dog's money's smart. The sooner we get him out of here, the better it'll be for us. Here's his coming. I told you he ain't no dumbbell. I'll do it just like I said. I'll take this end of the blanket. Got it. I'd sooner wrestle a grizzly in this mutt. He's got plenty of fight. Come on, let's get out of here. I left the sled back ascent. I'll try to follow us, Mountie. There's the sled. Come on. You won't get away with it. Come on, you huskies. King 40s captors valiantly, but the dog was at a disadvantage. For even after they reached a cave on a high ledge overlooking the trail, Pete kept the blanket over him. Why don't you take that blanket off him now? Listen, I ain't forgetting this mutt nip me once. I clean forgot that. Well, I ain't. Still got the marks of his teeth in my arm. Oh, sir, I'm keeping the blanket over him. I'll take it off in the morning. Before I see Preston, I'll tell Conn. You better. That's a yellow rattle. I think we still ain't done nothing towards getting him out. Well, I don't know. You probably heard Preston looking for the dog. Maybe he'll put two and two together. The only thing he can put together is his gun. I can't wait to see the expression on that Mountie's face. If Ace had seen the steely determination in Sergeant Preston's eyes as they stood talking to two friends in the Golden Goose Cafe, the outlaw's amusement would have cindered to ashes and the fear would have clutched his heart. Why, ain't the low down vomits anyone that has steal a dog? They think by holding King that I'll bargain with him for the release of Conn Mason. I guess they tried every other way to spring him. He ought to be right behind the bars with him. Yes, and they will be. Conn has already told what he knows. Oh, I see. But they don't know that. That's it exactly. Oh, every minute King's in their hands. Now, Sergeant, I reckon they ain't real men. But I don't think they'd do anything to the dog till they try to make a deal with you. Oh, you can't trust men like that. You can't blame them for not wanting to take any chances, Joe. I'm with you, Sergeant. If I can be of any help... That's what I hoped you'd say. You mean you're going after the environments now? Yes. And here's what I want you to do. It was dawn when Sergeant Preston and his two friends reached the trail far beneath the cave where King was an unhappy captive. Dark as it was, the determined mountain had tracked the kidnappers. His eyes brightened as he glimpsed the light of a campfire thrown out over the rocks high above him. Meanwhile, in the cave... Too bad we couldn't have let Conn know about this. I'm telling you, it'd be a load off of my mind when he's out of that jail. He'll be out, too. Preston thinks a lot of that, but... No more than the dog does of him. He hasn't made a sound lying in that blanket. It's to me like he's waiting for something. Listen... He's whining. Somebody's down the trail. Probably a couple of miners on the way to Machete. Well, I'm making sure. Ain't no miners on the trail at this hour. Hey! It's Preston. What? Don't grab that much. He's ripped that blanket open. You grab him. I'm getting my gun. He'll jump. Well, let him. He's a dead dog if he tries it. You hear that? He's going to do it. In blind obedience to his master's command, King leaped over the ledge. A dizzy, breathtaking drop. Hold that blanket tight, men. Here he comes. King, good fellow. Good fellow. That's it. I never see anything like it. That was a right-smile idea to get this blanket to catch him in. The way he come flying through space. Hey, Sergeant, where are you going? After those two. Come talk to the island of evidence to hang them. You can't climb up there. It's the only way up. Here. I'll cover him with my gun as well as I can. Here comes Preston. Get back, Mountie. That's coming up to you, Ace. That's what you think. I missed him. Here. Let me get him. Let them rocks protect him. Ace. Ace. Yes, put your head out once more, Mountie. Just once more. Ace, listen. I'm out of bullets. You stand over here. What'd you say? I tell you I ain't got any more bullets. Where are they? They're in a pack over there, and we ain't got time to get them. He's coming. Let me see how many I got. Wait a minute. How many? One. One more. He's almost up here. Let him have it, Ace. Go ahead. Here goes our last shot. Did you get him? I don't know. Listen. He's still coming. No, you're wrong. I'm here. All right. Your boys are under arrest. He ain't got nothing on us. No. Khan was afraid you decided to leave the Yukon. You mean he talked to you? Yes. It's going to be a triple hanging this time. I started marching down that path. I wouldn't try any tricks. Two men have guns waiting for you down on the trail. Mine's right in back of you. 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 6.30. Oh, King. Oh, you, oh, King. Challenge of the Yukon, the copyrighted feature of the Challenge of the Yukon Incorporated brought to you every Saturday at the same time originated in the transcription studios of WXYZ Detroit. The characters and events in tonight's drama were fictitious. Bob Hite speaking. This is the Michigan Radio Network.