 The challenge of the Yukon. It's Yukon King, swiftest and strongest lead dog of the northwest, placing the trail for Sergeant Preston of the northwest mounted police in his relentless pursuit of lawbreakers. On King, on your feet! Gold, gold discovered in the Yukon, a stampede to the Klondike in the wild race for riches. To the days of the Gold Rush, with Sergeant Preston and his wonder dog Yukon King as they meet the challenge of the Yukon. The little town of wilderness landing was at the northeast corner of Great Caribou Lake, surrounded on three sides by the forest. There were only about a hundred inhabitants in the town, but because of its location, it boasted two trading posts, the larger belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company and the smaller to the Ganon chain. Jeff Allen was the assistant manager of the latter, and one midnight in mid-summer, he was packing a knapsack by the light of the moon. Tony Benton, who shared the cabin with him, stirred in his sleep. Push up, Jeff! I am. Yeah, but why? What are you doing? Packing a knapsack. How are you going? A little trip. This time of night, is anything wrong? Yes. What? I can't tell you that. I waited up until 11 o'clock for our pinnacle game. What were you this evening? I can't tell you that either. I've found out something, Tony. It's serious business. But I can't say anything more until I'm sure of my facts. You're being mighty mysterious. I have to be, until I'm sure. You can trust me. It'll be better if you don't know anything about it. But, Jeff, wait! Go back to sleep, Tony. I'll see you later. Jeff walked across the company compound to the main building. He took a bunch of keys out of his pocket, selected one, and then opened the door. The moonlight streaming through the window gave him plenty of light. He walked through the store to a door at the back. This was the entrance to Ben Corbin's, the manager's, living quarters. Wake up, Ben. What is it? Who's there? It's Jeff. Come out here. I want to have a talk with you. What time is it? Never mind that. This is important and it can't wait. Go jump in the lake. It's about the furs roof sold in Beaver City. Beaver City? I thought that would wake you up. Now, hurry. And don't try any funny business. I have a gun. Just who do you think you are? The name is Jeff Allen. I'm your assistant. I work for the Gannon Trading Company. I might add that I'm a loyal employee. An old man Gannon is my friend. Sure, the boss is a white-headed boy. You've been after my job ever since you came here. I know you've thought that. But it has nothing to do with what you've done. Well, what have I done? You don't have to be told. I won't stand for any vague accusations. Vague's nothing. I wanted to take the furs we bought last winter down to Dawson. You wouldn't let me. You set roof in my place. He only delivered two-thirds of them to headquarters. That's a lie. It's the truth. He sold the other third in Beaver City on the way. So you're accusing Roof of being a crook. He is a crook and so are you. I won't stand for any... And sit down. But you're going to listen. You had to be in on it. You had to alter the books here. Or the theft would have been discovered in no time at all. I've looked at the books, Ben. I know you've altered them. And I know the gold Roof got for the furs is in this safe. You're guessing. Ben, I didn't like the way you were acting last month. When Roof left here, I hired Johnny Miyako to follow him. He saw him sell the furs in Beaver City. I don't know anything about it. His receipt from headquarters covered all the furs. Oh, no, it didn't. Roof got back here late at night. He timed it that way. But Johnny Miyako was watching through that window when he gave you the gold. And he saw you put it in a safe. I didn't realize you were so smart, Jeff. Well, now you do. You want to prove you're really smart? In what way? You don't make much money. How'd you like to be cut in on the gold? A full third? It'll run to over $1,000. That's more than you earn in a year. No thanks. I'm not a thief. What's more, Roger Gannon is my friend. And he needs cash badly. Every dollar he can get. He may lose his business if he doesn't get it. He may have to sell out. Too bad. So what are you going to do? Open that safe, Ben. Open it yourself. You know you're the only one who has the combination? I'll open it before I get tough. And then what? What happens afterwards? I'm going to take the gold down the headquarters. And you're coming along with me. What if I refuse? I'll make you come. All right, Jeff, I guess you win. I'll open the safe. Do you need any more light? The moon's bright enough to see all right. Swiftly, Ben turned the dial of the safe. And finally, as the combination clicked, he turned the handle and swung the heavy door open. But when he turned around, instead of the bag of gold in his hand, there was a revolver. He took deliberate aim and fired. Jeff dropped a bullet through his heart. Quickly, Ben ran to his side. Now to make it look good. He picked up Jeff's gun from the floor where it had fallen and fired it once. And he pulled Jeff's body around until he was lying on his back with his head toward the safe. He placed the gun in his right hand. He ran to the door, threw it open and shouted, Help! Help! Jeff! Roof! Tony! What's the matter? Come here, Roof, quick! Ben had finished lighting a lamp when Roof ran through the door. What have you done? I shot him. He knew all about our deal. But murder? It isn't murder. I'm just warning you. You keep your mouth shut no matter what happens. Yeah, okay. Here comes Tony. What is it? What's happened? Jeff. Easy, Tony. Jeff! Jeff! We've got to do something. We've got to stop this blood. Roof, get the doc. There's nothing he can do, Tony. Jeff is dead. Dead? Oh, sorry, kid. Who did it? I did. Boy, you did it! Pull him up! I got him! You killed Jeff, Tony! I didn't know who it was till I left the lamp. I heard the noise out here. I came out from my room. There was someone working at the safe. He turned and I saw he had a gun in his hand. He fired and I fired back. His bullet missed and mine didn't. Now you're trying to make me believe Jeff's a thief. He isn't. He wasn't. He couldn't do such a thing. It's as much of a shock to me as it is to you, kid. Wait a minute. When I heard the first shot, I looked over here. There was an Indian outside here. An Indian? An Indian with a beaded shirt, the kind the Crees wear. Maybe he'd broken into the store and Jeff had caught him. Maybe Jeff was just seeing if he'd taken anything. Oh, Tony. There may have been an Indian outside. I don't know. I saw him. He may have been waiting for Jeff. But no one broken here. Jeff used his key to get in. And no Indian could have opened that safe. Jeff and I were the only ones who knew the combination. Jeff didn't know it. I gave it to him this afternoon. I won't believe that Jeff would steal. I don't want to anymore than you. But we've got to face the facts. There he is and there's the open safe. There's his knapsack on the floor. He was planning a getaway. He said it was a business trip. But there's his gun. He tried to kill me. He would have. If I hadn't killed him, we've got to face the facts, Tony. Jeff Allen was buried the following day. And after the funeral, the leaders of the town held a meeting. Per Michel, the mission priest, acted as chairman. Tony refused to attend. And as a result, there was no mention of the Indian outside the post when Ben told his story of the shooting. When he had finished, Per Michel said, You have asked me to preside at your meeting. But I shall do no more than conduct it. Not that I do not recognize the right of communities, such as ours to decide the guilt or innocence of one of his members. The laws of the territory provide for meetings like this. I shot in self-defense. One moment, Ben. I have only this to say. It is a serious matter. A man's life has been taken. It was either his life or mine. I ask the members of the committee whether they wish to decide on this case or appeal to a higher authority for a decision. I get what the father's driving at. We got the Northwest mounted in the territory now. We could send for one of them to come up here. That is exactly what was in my mind, doctor. We'd have to report the case to them anyway. You've got no objection, have you, Ben? Well, not exactly. But I want to get legally clear as quick as possible. Sure, I understand that. We'll send a man to Beaver City and leave word there for the next Mountian patrol to come up here. That suits me. Just to show you I want to cooperate. I'll let Roof off to make the trip. Sure, I can start this afternoon. But you're not going to keep me prisoner until the Mountie shows up, are you? I see no need for that. You want to establish your innocence? You won't run away, and you'll have your business to attend to. Let us say that, nominally, you're in the doctor's custody. What does that mean? You will report to him once a day. Then you will be free to carry on your usual activities. That's fair enough. Is everyone agreed? Then the meeting is adjourned. Late that afternoon, Roof prepared to leave for Beaver City. As he was about to step into his canoe, he spoke quietly with Ben. Are you sure you want me to report to him? You must. There's no evidence against me. The Northwest mounted captive on anything. Well, whatever you say. What's the long, everybody? I'll be back in three days. It was on the morning of the third day that Roof returned. He reported first to the doctor and then to Ben at the company store. They told me in Beaver City that Sergeant Preston was expected any time. Good. I'm glad you think so. Well, I've already told you. Yeah, but what about Tony? Where is he? Checking supplies. Well, what about him? He hasn't said anything about that Indian who was outside the store, has he? He hasn't said anything to anybody. He might to the money. Well, whatever. Well, you can't tell, Ben. The Indian might have seen what happened. If there's any chance of finding a witness, the Sergeant will go looking for him. He'd just be routine with him. What chance is the Sergeant of finding him with Tony's description? All he noticed was a leather shirt with creepy beadwork. It could have been Johnny Miyaku. Well, couldn't it? If he saw what happened, why hasn't he done something about it? Because Johnny hates all white men. Jeff was his only friend. Well, that's all the more reason why he should try and get even with me. Johnny went to jail once. He'd want to stay clear of the law. Well, then I'm safe. I don't know. This Sergeant Preston's smart. He might be able to make him talk if he found him. If? There's only one sure way to keep him from doing that. How? Not let him find out anything about an Indian outside the store. Don't let Tony tell him. Send Tony away somewhere so he won't be here when the Sergeant comes. That isn't a bad idea. I've been planning to send some presents up to the Siwa's chief on Rocky River. Tony could go. Yeah, we'll get him started today. He won't be back for a week. Sergeant Preston reached Beaver City shortly after Roof left. He immediately set out across Great Caribou Lake for wilderness landing. The Great Dog King was sitting in the front of his canoe. The land to the north of Great Caribou gradually rose to the high elevations of the Sawtooth Range. And from far out in the lake, the forest could be seen for miles. It was dry. There had been no rain for nearly a month. As kings sniffed the brisk breeze from the northwest, he growled. The dog was not afraid of fire, but he had a healthy respect for it. And he knew what the thin line of smoke rising from the forest meant. Yes, King. I see it, boy. Forest wire about ten miles away. Looks like a big one, too. Sergeant searched the sky. There was no sign of a cloud, no hope of rain. He began to put all of his strength in each thrust of his paddle, and the canoe shot forward at increased speed. This wind that'll move fast, King, going to sweep right down to the shore of the lake. It took the sergeant nearly an hour to reach the landing, and he found Pierre Michel and Doc Forsythe waiting for him. Welcome to Willi Days. Hello, sir. Hello, Sergeant. Hello, Father. Hello, Doc. We've been watching you. You sure know how to handle a canoe. I had a good reason for making time. I don't know what you were told in Beaver City, but the shooting seems to be an open and shut case of self-defense. It's hard to believe. Geoff Arden was a thief, of course. I'm not talking about that, Father. There's a fire to the north. A forest fire? How big one? Where? How far away? Is the town in any danger? In great danger. I'd say the fire was ten miles from here, moving this way fast. We'll get to work at once, a colo, and everywhere. Well, what can we do? Go out there in the forest and fight the fire? Air Michel knows. Cut the trees down all around the town, dig trenches. When the right time comes, start a backfire. It's very strong from the north-west. He must pray that it changes. There's not much chance of that. Then we must work hard. Doctor, a forest fire is a terrible thing. The Sergeant is right to be concerned. Our town, our very lives, hang in the balance. I'm going to see Ben Corbin, Father. I'll be back as soon as I can. The post is at the end of the town. Yes, I can see the sign. Come, Doctor. There is no time. The Sergeant and King ran down the main street toward the trading post. While Pierre Michel and the doctor aroused the town to the danger that threatened it. Roof saw the Sergeant coming and hurried to warn Ben. The Sergeant will be here in a minute. He made first hand. What's the left beaver city almost as soon as I did? Good thing we got Tony out of the way. Not much leeway. That's the Sergeant's dog. Here they come. Sergeant Preston. Yes, you've been Corbin. That's right. I'm ready to answer any questions you have. The questions can wait. How many men do you have working for you? Why, Roof here and Tony. But Tony's making a trip to the sidewalk spillage on Rocky River. That's north of here. Do not. How long ago did he leave? Maybe in half an hour. But he won't be back for a week. But there's nothing he can add to what I have to tell you, Sergeant. This Tony, how much experiences he had in the woods? Well, he's pretty much of a tender foot. The trail's well marked, though. The danger signals will mean nothing to him. I'll keep going until he's trapped. Trapped? He's heading straight into a forest fire. Ben, you and Roof report to the doctor and Pierre Michel. I'll go after your man, Tony, and bring him back. But there's no need. I mean, he'll have sense enough to turn around if he sees a forest ahead of him. It's burning. They wait until he sees that. It'll be too late. Go on, report to the doctor. I'll get Tony. Come on, King. Sergeant and King took the north trail out of town. Preston, in superb condition, ran easily at a pace that he knew he could keep up for at least an hour. King ran by his side. The warning scent of the distant smoke became increasingly strong. There was a rustling sound in the forest, but it was more than the wind through the trees. It was the sound of the small game hurrying through the underbrush toward the lake, flying before the fire. And his heart, King, felt the same urge they did. He knew he was heading toward a fierce and ruthless enemy, but his place was at his master's side. And if the sergeant had plunged into a furnace, he would have followed him. One mile slipped by another, then another, and then, on the trail ahead, they saw the man they were looking for. Tony, wait! You're coming back to the post with me. There isn't much I can say. You don't have to say anything. Save your breath for running. What? Fire. Forest fire ahead of you. Can't you smell the smoke? Yes, I've been noticing it. I thought it was a campfire. It's the quickest campfire you ever saw. Give me a lift up this tree. I'll climb to the top and see how close it is, how much time we have. All right, sir. The sergeant pulled himself up to the first branch and then climbed to the very top of the tall pine. There he saw a terrible sight. The fire until that moment had been creeping along the dried needles and underbrush on the floor of the forest engulfing each tree as it reached it. The flames shooting up the trunk, but now the heat was so intense, they began leaping from the top of one tree to the next. It was a crown fire, devastating, racing with the wind. Swiftly, the sergeant climbed down to the ground. Sergeant, I just saw a bear. You'll see every kind of game there is before we get back. They're doing what we have to do, run for our lives. Let's go. We can't take the trails too far. I thought we could make better time. There's an inlet of the lake that's closer by a mile in this direction. Straight through the forest? Follow me. The route the sergeant had chosen was the same that all the while game was taking, the shortest route to safety. As the men ran, they saw more bears, caribou and moose, foxes, wolverines and wolves. But the animals paid no attention to the men, just as the men paid no attention to the animals. All were trying to escape from the great destroyer, Fire. Fire coming, Tony. All right. It's getting hotter. Let's turn this before we reach that lake. King had renounced his wild heritage to give his loyalty to a man, and so it was that he paid no attention to the animals who shared their flight. But as he ran, he heard another sound and another scent, a scent of a human being. There was a man somewhere in the forest to his right and he was groaning. King leaped up and nipped the sergeant's tunic. What is it, boy? King started through the forest to the right. Why do you want to go that way? The lake must be straight on. King must have a reason. I found his reasons are good. I will follow you. King led the way. Five minutes later, the sergeant saw a man lying on the ground, an Indian, trying to bind his ankle with a strip of leather torn from his shirt. So that's it. An Indian who's been hurt will have to give him a hand. It's Johnny Miyaku. Who's he? A friend of Jeff's. No. Red court not take Johnny. Johnny, not do wrong. No one said you did any wrong. What's the matter with your ankle? Johnny, trip and fall. Oh, let's see. It's a bad sprain. I'll bind it tight and you'll be able to put a little weight on it. We'll both help you. Fire, come. We know that. We want to get to the lake just as much as you do. Johnny, not you, Jeff. Jeff, friend of Johnny. It's big fella. Shoot, Jeff. What's that? Sergeant, I saw an Indian outside the store the night Ben shot Jeff. Johnny must have been the one. And we have another witness besides Ben. No, no, no. Sorry, I have to get it tight, Johnny. What did you see in the store? Ben, reach it safe. Come out with gun. Shoot, Jeff. You sure it wasn't Jeff reaching in the safe? No, no, Ben. Johnny, know what Jeff do. Him try and make Ben give back gold. What gold? Oh, Ben, get for Fer's... Fer's roof cell. Biver City. I'm not sure he knows what he's talking about, Sergeant. But if he does, it makes everything different. Nothing's going to be different if we don't get out of here. I'll help you up, Johnny. Yeah, no. How's that? Maybe me walk glue. They're going to have to do more than walk. Put your arm around my shoulder now. That's it. Help him from the other side, Johnny. That may hurt, Johnny. But this means you're lighter. Come on. That's it, King. Break trail for us. On to the lake, boy. But now the hot breath of the fire was on them. The heat became so intense that the green needles of the pines turned to brown before their eyes. A single spark would ignite them. And not sparks or brands, but great tongues of flame racing toward them through the tops of the trees less than half a mile back. Johnny Miyaku forgot the pain in his ankle, freed the sergeant and Tony, and ran with them on equal terms. A roar. The roar of the fire filled the forest and drowned out the frantic cries of the animals. But the blue waters of the lake were just ahead. There it is. Come on. I can't breathe. Keep running, Johnny. Oh, well. All right, Johnny. Good. But with the moose and the caribou, the bears and their cubs, the foxes, the wolverines and the wolves and all the small game of the forest, they burst from the raging inferno and sprinted across the beach. The welcome coolness of the lake received them and they waited far out. This is far enough. You can stay here. Luck under whenever you see any burning wood coming your way. Sergeant was pulling off his boots in his uniform. What's the idea, Sergeant? Keep these for me and my gun here. I'm going to swim across the corner of the lake to the town. I can get there before the fire, I think. I'll need everyone's help. I'm not a very good swimmer, but I can try to make it too. No, you stay here with Johnny. When the fire burns itself out, you can follow the beach to the town. It should have been Johnny with you. It looks to me as if Ben's been lying. He has. He murdered him. We'll see about that. Come on, King. The man and dog struck out across the corner of the lake and as they watched, the fire burned down to the northern shore and then started around the long curve towards the town. It should be there in time to help them start the backfire, King. I hope they don't get panicky and start it too soon. Ten minutes later, they ran up the beach in front of the town and hurried down to the point where Pear and Michelle and the doctor were directing the firefighters. A strip of ground six feet wide had been dug up all around the village and now they were waiting for the onslaught of the Holocaust. I'm so impressed with that last day. I do not know exactly when the backfire should be lit. Oh, Pear and Michelle, now. Light the fire! Fire in the fire! Men, women and children set fire to the undergrowth on the side of the dug-up ground away from the town. The wind was blowing toward the town so the backfire tried to burn in that direction, but it was stopped by the strip of bare ground and began to inch toward the forest, burning against the wind, three feet, four feet. Then it felt a terrific suction caused by the forest blaze and the backfire leaped forward to meet its terrible brother. When the crown fire struck, there was a hundred feet of bare ground surrounding the town. We've licked it! We haven't finished yet, men. Get to your homes. Wet down the roofs. There'll be sparks falling on them. Yelp for help whenever you find a spot. The sergeant was everywhere during the next half-hour, and King worked too. It was he who found the blaze behind the general's store that might have wiped out the entire village. But his frantic barking brought the sergeant with a crew of men and the threat was eliminated. Everyone in town was blackened by soot and gasping for breath when the fire had swept down. Thank God it's over. But think of it. Myers and myers of force destroyed. It will burn itself out, Father, when it reaches the eastern marsh. At least the town is safe and so are my children. I had no chance to ask before, Sergeant. You found Tony? Tony and Johnny Miyako. I left them on the far north shore. It reminds me, I'd better get my business settled with Ben Corbin. I'll see you later, Father. The sergeant found Ben and Roof in the company store. Ben was perfectly willing to tell his story of the shooting. The sergeant listened in silence. But when he had finished... Where was Jeff standing when he fired at you? Right in front of the safe, where you're standing now. And you were... Over here, in front of this door. Where does bullet hit? I don't know. Well, it must have landed in the woods somewhere behind you. I'll take a look. Yeah, that's right. Strange, I can't see any bullet in the wall. I pulled it out, Sergeant. There, Roof. Here, this is the hole. This is where I found it. It doesn't look much like a bullet hole. And I happened to notice a bullet embedded in the rafters over here, in front of the safe. Look up there, see it? Could Jeff have fired straight up in the air? No, his gun was leveled at me. Ben, Tony said there was an Indian outside the store who might have seen the shooting. Well, I know he said that. He must have been dreaming. I didn't see any Indians. There's another thing. Other happened to be gold in the safe. Why, that's where I keep it. Where else? Is there much of it? About $4,000 worth it. And Jeff knew about it? Sure, he saw me put it in there. But Ben, you pay the Indians for their furs in trading goods and you don't do any business with the townspeople. $4,000 in gold, where did it come from? I just had it. It belonged to me. Oh, someone coming, King? Yes, Tony and Johnny Miyako. Johnny Miyako. Hello, Tony. Sergeant. Hello, Johnny. Johnny was afraid of the Northwest Mounted Police until this afternoon. You're not afraid anymore, are you, Johnny? No, no, you're a good man, Sergeant. Good man, like Jeff. He's told me everything, Sergeant. Jeff hired him to follow Roof when he went south with furs. Roof sold a lot of them in Beaver City and pocketed the money. Of course, he and Ben were going to split. There's your motive for the murder. Murder? What murder? Johnny, see you shoot Jeff. Jeff, not draw a gun. How about that, Ben? Well, I'll tell you, Sergeant. You haven't got a gun, and I have. You're all covered up with your hands. Tony's got a gun in his belt. Thanks for bringing it back, Tony. Get a roof. Right. I may be wearing borrowed clothes, but I'm still a member of the force, Ben. You're under arrest in the name of the Queen. Am I, Sergeant? Well, you'll never take me to jail. How do you expect to get away? I'll tell you. It's almost dark. When it's really dark, we're just going out and start a few fires. While the town's fighting them, I'm going to shoot you three, then we'll set fire to this building and you'll burn up with it. I can follow that. It's entirely possible there may be small fires in town right now, a small ring where no one can see them. People wouldn't think it too unusual if a big fire broke out, and the whole town would start fighting it, that's sure. I don't think they'd hear three shots. Oh, neither do I. And if this place burns down and we're in it, who will know that we've been shot? Well, nobody, Sergeant. Nobody at all. Just keep your hands up and stand right where you are. But King had been creeping along the floor toward Ben. Both Ben and Roof were watching the Sergeant closely and didn't notice the dog until he was directly below Ben's gunhand. Then the Sergeant wrapped out a command. Okay. King leaped for Ben's gunhand and twisted the wrist as he dropped to the floor. The gun shot out of Ben's grasp and the Sergeant was on him in an instant. A little legunny had taken from Tony at the Sergeant and pulled a trigger, but an empty click answered his pressure, and in the next second, both Tony and Johnny were on top of him. Get the gun on the floor, Tony. Hold him, Johnny. Hold. I got it. All right. Oh, keep them covered. Right. That's better. I'm grateful for one thing. What's that? I had to take a chance you hadn't reloaded my gun after I gave it to you. It's all right now, though. It sure is. Johnny not only saw Jeff's murder committed, he can establish the motive. All three of us can testify that Ben and Roof tried to kill us just now. It's murder and attempted murder. There isn't a chance of the verdicts being anything but guilty. So it looks as if this case is closed. Now hear Sergeant Preston with a preview of our next adventure. The case, trickery on the river. When King and I went to Selkirk to help trail the McGraw gang, the constable and I decided on a plan to trap the gang aboard the boat to Dawson. But McGraw was more clever than we thought. He discovered our plan and set us out to trap us instead with exciting results. Be sure to listen to this exciting adventure Wednesday. These radio dramas, a feature of the challenge of the Yukon Incorporated, are created and produced by George W. Trendall, directed by Fred Flower Day, and supervised by Charles D. Livingston. The part of Sergeant Preston is played by Paul Sutton. They are brought to you every Wednesday until September when we shall resume our regular Monday, Wednesday and Friday broadcast. This is J. Michael wishing you good bye and good luck till next.