 The challenge of the Yukon on King The Wonder Dog King's 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 preserve 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 triumphant Corporal Cleary of the Northwest mounted police was nearing the Arctic Circle the cold was bitter but the knowledge that he was close on the heels of Pierce Rue, a murderer whom he had pursued from British Columbia spurred him on he plotted to the snow after his dog team following a trail that left past a group of rocks suddenly a shot rang out Corporal Cleary staggered then fell face downward right through the head, dead, never knew what hit him trail leading past the rocks put him off guard like a felt of wood Pierce I don't like it, he's a mountain well it was either him or us wasn't it anyway I'm glad I did it had a score to settle with the Mounties yeah you've hated them ever since they threw you out when you were training to be one yeah I wasn't good enough for them wasn't noble enough well I didn't want to belong to them anyway too pure for my taste no drinking on duty, no money accepted for favors from people willing to pay for them and they taught me to shoot well enough to drill one of them between the eyes you sure are a good shot I will get out of the country maybe they'll be after us worse than ever we won't be able to show our faces to the town oh yes we will come on help me get these clothes off him what for? because I'm gonna wear him from now on I'm Corporal whoever he is I'll find out from his papers you mean you're gonna pretend you're him right I know enough about Mounties from the train now I have to get away with it what if you meet somebody who knows him he ain't known in this territory he trailed us all the way from British Columbia but what about me? you're gonna be Pierce Drew prisoner I'm taken back what? sure first town we come to I'm telegraphing headquarters to tell them a coachy that'll keep them off us for a while Sergeant Preston reporting at headquarters in Dawson was greeted warmly by Inspector Grayson well Sergeant Preston glad to see you I'm glad to see you sir you did a fine job down in Whitehorse I hear your dog helped again King's always a help Inspector aren't you boy you know some days sir people are going to realize the value of dogs for jobs like this and train them for it just as I have trained King that's a good idea have you any assignments for me sir no I thought I might have to send you up to give Corporal Clary a hand but I got a report from him yesterday he got the man he was after and he's on his way back he's the one who was after Pierce Drew isn't he yes he's a good man do you know him well I think he came in just as I was getting out of training but I can't remember what he looked like boy he's a big red-headed fellow nice chap, clean cut never had any trouble with him he solved that Ritchie murder down in British Columbia I'd like to hear more about that he should get to 40 miles soon maybe you'll meet him well that's where I'm heading on my regular patrol since you have no special assignment for me sir hope I meet Clary it'll be interesting to hear how he captured Pierce Drew whoa you huskies alright Chris there's 40 miles up ahead I'm handcuffing you Drew I don't see why we're taking a chance at this maybe someone on 40 miles knows Clary Clary missed 40 miles he chased us straight up from Dawson's, didn't he yeah that's what we didn't figure on come on, come on, quit you haven't put these handcuffs on eh we need supplies, we need money we gotta go 40 miles I don't like it, there's danger there's much danger sneaking around like a couple of scared rabbits now come on we're going straight to the jail no one will suspect us then hello constable Corporal Clary, northwest mounted come in, come in you got room for a prisoner in here sure, sure bring him in Corporal come on Drew we'll take him over to sales you can put him right in here alright in you go have a long trip Corporal yeah chased him up to the Arctic Circle we're here, you must be worn out I was just going over to Barney's bar maybe you'd like to have a drink before turning in I sure would constable lead the way don't worry about your prisoner, he's safe enough in there Barney's just a step away who is your prisoner? name is Pierce Drew, I've been after him for months he's wanted for murder in British Columbia this ain't your regular territory then no, just pass him through too bad your mounting can't help us celebrate friend of mine, Judd Peters in town meeting at Barney's Judd struck gold up north and we're celebrating his riches maybe I'll forget the rules for once your friend heading for the States? yep, lucky stiff he won't have to work the rest of his life say, you're a mounting, maybe listen to you we should tell Judd it's dangerous to pack so much gold around with him he's got a fortune that money belly is here he is drinking at Barney's bar you won't listen to me well, I'll do what I can you'll probably say it's none of my business well, here we are, right here hi there, Constable, how are you? how are you boys? there's Judd over at this table, Corporal hello there, buddy come on, sit down hey buddy, set up two north for my old friend, Buttoness Powell hello, Judd here, this is Corporal Clearing how are you, Corporal I'll help you celebrate this is Pierre de Priere how are you, Corporal? yeah, he's the finest traveler in this part of the country hey, I'm with Judd, you are the best prospect which is much better hey, you stayed in 40 miles a night, Corporal he burned in a prisoner, just locked him up I got a whole cabin to myself tonight a friend of mine took off today and lent it to me if you need a place to stay with me, but me, I must get up early to see my trap line and Judd, he do not want to be disturbed you can stay with me, Corporal well, thanks, both of you, but I'm sleeping in jail tonight I have to keep an eye on my prisoner well, I'm sleeping in jail tonight, Corporal you need a good rest I like to watch my own prisoners oh, you go to your cabin tonight, Constable and if you keep on celebrating, Judd it's gonna take all three of us to carry you to your... come on, all three go all three of you right under the table shut them up again, buddy Chris, you awake? what? who is it? wake up, I got something to tell you where have you been, bro? over in a bar with a Constable well, ain't that nice for you here I've been with no supper ah, shut up and listen I got a line on something that's gonna make us rich for life I just helped take a man to his cabin he's so weighed down with gold it took three of us to carry him was it hurt? nah, drinking too much I'm robbing him tonight well, let me out of here are we leaving tonight? we're not leaving at all where are you crazy? we're staying right where I am I'll be back when I get the gold I get everything planned even the man who'd be blamed for the robbery now listen, here's what I'm gonna do the following morning, Pierce Drew peered out of the window of the jail while Chris sat tensely on his cot in the cell see anybody yet, Drew? yes, I do it's Constable he's coming over here running quick, Chris we both pretend to wear sleep I hope this works quick, worry, and it'll work quiet now Corporal, Corporal, clear it wake up there's been a robbery what's the matter? it's Jed someone crawled in his window last night busted him over the head and took his money belt well, when did that happen? oh, you ain't even a wake yet last night after we took him home Pierre locked his door and shoved the key back under I told you they didn't use the door there were two windows must have been unlocked I told everybody to stay away there's footprints there now go over right away, Constable he ain't conscious maybe skull is fractured someone gave him a nasty wrap on the head that's the window you told me about yep, see the tracks? where did the lead? well, that's a funny part of it they lead right to Pierre de Piescabin what does Pierre say about that? Pierre ain't there you heard him say he had to get up and see about his abs early this morning looks as if Pierre had this all planned oh, Pierre wouldn't do anything like that Constable, a man will do anything for gold I'm going after Pierre he's probably headed for the border I'll go with you, Corporal but I don't... oh, you better stay at the jail in case anything else turns up and if I were you, I wouldn't tell my prisoner anything about it he knows I'm out of town he might give you trouble when Sergeant Prustin reached 40 miles he headed straight for the local jail to see if Corporal Cleary had arrived as he pulled up before the door Constable came up okay, hurry up, Huskies hello, Constable Sergeant Prustin I'm glad you're here we had a big robbery last night someone hit Jed Peters over the head and robbed him fortunately, Corporal Cleary was in town he's gone after the man who did it I'm glad Cleary's here where did all this happen? I'm taking to Jed's cabin I doubt they ensure he's going to live I'll leave my dog team here come on I'd have gone with Cleary but he told me to stay and watch his prisoner he doesn't want him to know he left town doesn't go to jail secure? sure but I doubt he knew best he left a couple of hours ago following Pierre to Priestrail how does he know Pierre? is the man who did it? footprints led directly from the window to Pierre's cabin oh, that's rather too obvious, isn't it? well, I can't believe Pierre did it but we'd all been drinking Cleary helped take Jed home and Pierre was with us you mean Cleary was drinking with you? well, he was tired and needed something well, that's odd Cleary's a stickler for rules and he was on duty and here's the cabin you want to see Jed? no, that won't be necessary I'd better not disturb him see the footprints leading from the window? yes here, King, come here, boy now, this track boy here follow it, follow he's going to Pierre's cabin come on, Constable you sure that dog knows what he's doing? he's better at trailing than any dog I ever saw look, he ain't going all the way to the cabin he's turning off hello, King, wait a minute, boy there's a trail crossing those footprints two dogs sleds and two men that's Pierre's trail the other footprints are coupled with Cleary's he followed Pierre's trail you see, the dog knows Pierre is getting it come on, Constable can't lose a minute's time we're following it but the prisoner... he's all right, there's no reason to watch him we can get these men if we hurry we can follow faster without a dog team all right, King this trail boy, get him, fella after him, boy darkness had fallen but the great dog King stayed on the trail Preston and the Constable were guided by his bark and often King backtracked to make sure his master was behind him ran through the trees they saw the light of a campfire and the Huskies lying about it began to bark King increased his pace he was silent and his gray form slid through the trees like a shadow Preston and the Constable were quite far behind him just as he neared the fire, a shot rang out a bullet whizzed past the head of Preston almost the same instant King sprang holy boy, get him, fella all right, King, back, fella get off him Sergeant, it's Corporal Cleary King got the wrong trail Constable, it's you not the Pierre who was after me I'm Sergeant Preston, Corporal oh, well I... is your dog? that's my dog and I'm sure he made no mistake he followed the trail that led from Jed's cabin your trail take off that parka hood why? take it off, I say all right I don't see what this has to do with it I'll tell you what it has to do with it Inspector Grayson told me that Cleary had red hair and yours is black you're not Corporal Cleary you're under arrest you mean he ain't a mountain at all? I mean exactly that but he locked a criminal in jail for two very good reasons he convinced you that he was a Mountie and to keep all the loot for himself he was headed for the border and he'd have made it for that man for King fine job, King, old fella good work 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 the same time and reach you from our transcription studios Hal Neal speaking this is the Michigan Radio Network