 The challenge of the Yukon. A king on your mamma! The Wonder Dog King, swiftest and strongest of Eskimo leap dogs, blazes the trail through storm and snow for Sergeant Preston, as he meets the challenge of the Yukon. Sergeant Preston was typical of a small band of Northwest Monod police who preserved 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. Dick Summers, a young prospector, had been missing for almost a week. Fred Hutton, his partner, had been away, and could find no trace of him when he returned. Fred had called in the mountains Sergeant Preston to help find Dick, who had struck gold while his partner was away. A blizzard had been raging for two days, but it was finally subsided when Preston started his search for Dick Summers, at his claim about a mile from their cabin. Fred Hutton was with him. Oh, how are you, Malibus? Here we are, Sergeant. To the left of the creek had hole in the rock. That's where we've been working. That snow sure covered everything. Here, King, let's have a look near that cave in the rock. There's some of his tracks, but I can't tell when he made them. There, King. See these tracks? Find him, boy. Do you understand everything you say? Just above. Look at him circled, picking up the scent. He'll probably just lead us back to the cabin. He has it. Come on, Fred, go follow him. It's me how he can follow a trail under that snow. The wind has kept it thin in the spots. It seems snow where he's going. I wish he wouldn't go so fast. He'll get out of sight in this woods. He's found something. Hurry. We're coming, boy! What are you doing? There's nothing around here. What is it, boy? Smelling around the ground there. Look, he's digging. What is it, fella? A lot of branches under this heap of snow. I'll clear these off, will you, friend? Well, it looks like a body. It is a body. Here. Help me get that big branch off. Sergeant. It's Dick. Yes, Fred. I'm sorry. Somebody murdered him. Look at his head. This is hard, you know, Fred. I know he was almost like a son to him. But we'll find this murderer. Fred, don't say anything about this for a while. We'll cover him up again. Whoever did this did it in a hurry. He didn't take time to bury the body. You mean leave Dick here like this? Not bury him? Well, temporarily. Whoever did it may come back to finish the job. It's snowing hard enough to cover our tracks. Aye. I hate to do it, but you say so. I'm going into town. You say it was last seen at that new cafe? Yeah. Pete Larson told me. He saw me there talking to the entertainer. Her name's Lolita. Lolita. I think I'll talk to her. You were the first mountain I ever saw. I thought they rode horses and wore red coats. Well, not always, Lolita. We use dogs in the winter and the red coats are only for dress. Oh. This dog of yours is beautiful. I like him. What's his name? His name's King. He seems to like you, too. You haven't been this far the country long, have you? No. No, I was in San Francisco. I was out of the job and things were getting pretty bad when I met Chris Jenkins. He was opening this place. He offered you the job and you took it? I had to take it. I was very broke. You don't look like the regular type of entertainer. Do you like it? Let's not talk about me. You look frightened just then. Frightened? Me? No, Sergeant. Would you like something to drink? Lolita, did you happen to meet a man here last week with the name of Dick Summers? Dick Summers? Oh, yes. The young prospector has just made a strike. Yes, he was celebrating. Yes, Joe? Chris sent me over here to tell you over at that table the other side of the road. They seem to be getting along all right. I just sat down to a minute ago. Oh, why? But he said to tell you to go over there right away. I'll go over in a few minutes. I'm busy now. Okay, kid. Now skin off my nose if you do or if you don't. Why do you suppose Chris sent him over here? Maybe Chris doesn't like Mounties. What do you say, Lolita? In a cabin about a block from here. You used to belong to Jim Davis. Oh, yes, I know it is. You were telling me about Dick Summers. Dick Summers? Oh, the prospector. Well, he was sending money like water. Buying drinks for the house. Hang on, Lolita. You don't want to do what you told him. It's late. You can get out of here. Oh, Chris. Is it Chris, Sergeant President? Maybe Chris doesn't consider me a customer, Lolita. He's hired to talk to customers who buy drinks. Quiet, King. Also, I don't like dogs in this place. I'm sure my dog returns the compliment. He doesn't like your place. Come on, King. We're leaving. Good night, Lolita. Wait, King. We'll go over to her cabin and wait for her. Brighten me. I wondered who had lighted a candle in here. I hope you don't mind, Mike. The door was open. No, no, not at all. Lolita, come sit down. All right. You're afraid of something. What's the matter? What? Nothing. Why didn't Chris want you to talk to me tonight? He didn't say anything. He didn't like it, did he? Big Summers. Lolita, I want to help you. I know you're afraid of Chris. Why? It's only I hadn't come up here. I am afraid. For the past week I've been afraid of him. There's something, well, something evil about him. He was so angry tonight. He said he was coming here to talk to me. Coming here tonight? Yes. Lolita, I'm going to tell you something. Big Summers is missing. Missing? I want you to help me. You were one of the last people to see him, tell me all you can. There's much to tell. He ordered champagne for everybody. Chris told me to sit with him. And later Chris joined us. Summers told us about the rich strike he had made. Go on, Lolita. Try and remember everything. Chris kept asking where it was. Did Dick say anything about having a partner? Partner? No, not that I remember. Well, go on. What happened then? After a while, Chris told me to leave. I left him together. Maybe I shouldn't have told you this. Who says he's coming here tonight? He said he was. Maybe you'd better go. We'll find you here. You'll be furious. I have to go over now and see the claim agent. Jim Peters? He'll be safe. I'll have to wake him. I don't like to leave you alone if Chris is coming. You think it's dangerous, too? Maybe you'd better not let him in. There's something wrong with the lock on my door. That's why you got in. Do you want to help me? Yes, that's what I want more than anything. I'm going to leave King with you. You'll be safe then, even if you say what I'm going to ask you to say to him. Yes. As soon as he leaves tonight, bring King over to the Peters' cabin, and I'll meet you there. Mrs. Peters will keep you there for the night. Yes. I want you to tell Chris that I was asking about Summers. Let him know that I know he's missing. Get him angry if necessary, but lead him on to talk. King, be quiet. He'll lie back here in the shadows. That's the boy. He'll be still. The lock is broken. Maybe you know that. I don't know what you're talking about. Why do you want to talk to me, Chris? I want to know why you suddenly got so chummy with the law tonight. Is there anything wrong with that? I heard about Preston. He wasn't interested in you. He wanted to find out something. Oh? Is there something he could find out? You find your own business. You're working for me, remember? What was he asking you? Nothing. Just who'd been in the cafe lately? What do you mean who'd been there? Summers. Why couldn't you keep that blabbing mouth of yours shut? What do you mean? Didn't you want him to know this summer? Some of his business who comes there? What else did you tell him? Did you say I was with Summers? Yes. You really... I'd like to pull that wagging tongue of yours out of your silly head. Why didn't you want Preston to know? Chris, you've done something to Summers. You're smart to keep your nose out of this. If I see you talking to that money again... You've probably been frightened all week. I knew you'd done something wrong. Maybe you know a little more than is good for you. Maybe you won't be smart enough to shut up either. But you see these hands of mine. They'll just fit around that pretty throat of yours. King! Where'd that dog come from? All right. Why don't you come and put your hands around my throat? I have my gun... Now get out of here. Get out before I tell King to do what he'd like to do so much. Come on, King. Here's the Peter's cab. Mr. Peter? I'm in monitor. There's King. I was just coming over to see if you were all right. I wouldn't have been if King hadn't been there. Oh. Chris threatened me. You were right. He has committed some kind of crime. He tried to file Dick Summers' claim. We just discovered it. I didn't tell you before, Lolita. Dick Summers was murdered. Murdered? He must have followed Dick out to his claim the day after Summers was at the café. Was he worried when you told him I was looking for Dick? He was wild. He threatened to kill me if I talked to you again. I'm in my cold, Peter's. I've got to get out to Dick's claim. I wish out there now. Chris won't be digging gold out there tonight. He may be digging something else. He didn't bury Dick. The blizzard kept him from doing it. He doesn't know we found the body, and if there's no body, there's no evidence. Therefore, he'll try to dispose of it, but we intend to get there first. Come on, King. Good night. Thanks. We're just about there, aren't we, friend? Yeah. It's left here through the woods. Don't go near the place where Dick is covered. Our tracks would show in this fresh snow. We'll find a place to hide downwind in case he brings a dog team. Here, this thicket will do. I'll cut some branches. Might as well be comfortable. We'll probably be here all night. Quiet, King. Fred. Got down here. King here saw something. It's him, right? We almost missed him. He's got a lantern. What's he looking at the trees for? They probably make the trunks to mark where he put the body. Zokey. Circle him, boy. Come up behind him. Behind him, you hear? All right, boy. Get going. Ready? You're kidding. Time to get behind him. You may try to run. All right, come on. Put up your hands, Chris. You're under arrest. Why you? Don't try anything funny. My dog's right behind you. One word for me and you'll be torn to pieces. Sergeant Preston. I can't thank you enough for sending me back. You helped me, Lolita. I'm just returning a favor. I'll return this passage money just as soon as I can. I'll just take your time about that. You stay with Mrs. Peter's sister. She'll help you find work. All right. Well, I guess you'd better get aboard, Lolita. Well, thank you again. And goodbye. Goodbye, King. Goodbye. Good luck. Yes, King. She's a fine little girl. How goes the boat, old boy? Well, I guess the case is... 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. All right, Leo speaking, this is the Michigan Radio Network.