 The challenge of the Yukon. On King Onyohusky! The Wonder Dog King, swiftest and strongest Ascimal 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 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. As Sergeant Preston approached the trading post in the town of Selkirk, while he'd come with him from the north, looked at him sadly, as if dreading the words he knew were coming. On King Onyohusky! Well, White Eagle, I guess this is where you leave me. Do you want to come into the trading post and get warm? No. Let me go back to village. Well, don't look so unhappy about it. I'll use you again as a guide, next time I get up this way. You come back soon? Not very soon, but when I do, I'll let you know. You're one of the best guides in the north. Oh, me go now. You come back soon. All right. Come on, King. Come inside. Hello, Sergeant. I see you drive up front of my place. It is long time I don't see you. Hello, Francois. You sit down by stove and warm yourself. Thanks. You have come on a long trip. Been gone about two weeks. Oh, this fire feels good. Here is good RT to warm you inside. Thanks, Francois. Oh, don't bother with anything else. I've had my supper, thanks. I'll take White Eagle with you again as guide. Yes, always take him. I'm up this way. Why you do this? You know this country much better than White Eagle. Well, don't ever tell White Eagle that. Being my guide means everything to him. You see, he's well... you might call him a special project of mine. What is this project? You might call it a job. White Eagle is great in the eyes of his people when I use him as a guide. And as long as they look up to him, he's a good Indian. White Eagle has a great deal of pride and ambition. If he isn't noticed and respected, he gets into trouble. He has been in trouble. Haven't you ever heard the story about White Eagle? Well, no. Me, I have not been here a very long time. No one has told me this. King saved White Eagle from being hanged. Such a bluff. Now, how he do this? It was about a year before you moved into this territory, Francois. White Eagle lived in an Indian village near Moose Creek. You know what that is? We... Old Sam Moore, a prospector, staked a claim near there. Right beside his claim down the creek, there were two men who had staked a claim together. Their names were Pete Donahue and Richie Stevens. Pete and Richie were in their cabin one evening when Old Sam came first. What's that sound? Hey, calm yourself. Look, take a look at that rock. Hey, that does look like something. Where did you find it, Sam? It's right on my claim. There's a big gold vein. Leads right down to the creek. The vein leading to the creek? Yeah. I can't wait to find out how much it's all going to be worth. I'm going to go into town early tomorrow morning. Don't you want to stand out some supper with us, Sam? No, I'm going up to Cy Cranes and tell him about it. Well, you better not spread the news too fast. Maybe the vein is small. No, I'm sure it ain't. Well, I'll see you tomorrow, boys. I'll drop in and tell you what to say if I enjoy the rock. Well, congratulations, Sam. Goodbye. I imagine that lucky old stiff hitting the jackpot like that. Yeah. And less than a quarter of a mile away from our claim. As, uh, as old Sam and his relatives. You never heard him talking about any. Why? Nothing. He's a pretty old man. If he died, I just wonder if anyone would be around to take the claim over. We'd be around. We'd take over a mighty quick, too. That must be White Eagle coming over from the Indian village. I saw him today. He said he had some furs, boys. Hello, White Eagle. Come in. Well, we bring good furs. Oh, what kind, White Eagle? Varks, links. Plenty good. Well, I'd see him. Yeah, yeah, they're not so bad. You want some firewater for him? This time, he wants shoes, like white man. Shoes. Why, do you want shoes? Aren't your moccasins good enough? Me get coat, maybe. Like that one. Hey, what's the idea? Black Hawk. Him come home from White Man's country. Him have clothes like White Man. Say, Richie, is Black Hawk the Indian who went to other wars to witness against those Indians who tried to kill Bill James? Yeah. Yeah, I guess they had to buy him some civilized clothes to appear at the trial. And beginning to see things clearly, you know, White Eagle likes to have the tried look up to him. I suppose Black Hawk is getting all the glory now. What happened to the Indians who went there with the police, White Eagle? Them, Ajak and Big Wolf. Yeah, yeah, they're the ones who knife Bill. What did Black Hawk say happened to them? Black Hawk say them live in Big Stone House of White Man. Them get plenty eat and clothes like White Man. They're in a Big Stone House, all right. And they'll probably stay there a long time. Black Hawk is right, White Eagle. Big Wolf and Ajak won't have to worry anymore. They'll be nice and warm all the way while you're freezing to death in their tenures. Every day a man will bring them fine things to eat. And they won't have to go out and hunt for food. Hey, Richie, what's the idea? Quiet, Pete. How would you like a life like that, White Eagle? Then Black Hawk not life? No, he didn't lie. They lived there a long time? Yeah. And they'll never have to worry about eating or a warm place to sleep. White Eagle like to live there, maybe. Oh, no, you wouldn't, White Eagle. Yes, you would like it, White Eagle. Now, you're a good friend of ours. I'll tell you how you can get there. Oh, not right away, but soon, maybe. What do I do? Well, I'll have to plan things with Pete here. You come back in a day or so and we'll have it all arranged. Oh, that's good. We haven't any shoes to trade this time. Shoes are hard to get up here. You take a little fire water this time. Go get it, Pete. Sure, thank you. Now, remember, White Eagle, don't tell anyone where you'll get this fire water. And if you do, I won't help you to go to the White Man's country. Need not tell. Here's the Lincoln. There you are, White Eagle. Now, you come back in two days and we'll fix everything for you. You come back. See, Richie, what were you talking about? Pete, I've got an idea. It may be the chance of a lifetime to get rich. Now, Black Hawk is telling the story of how well the two criminals are being treated. He seems to think being in jail is swell. Compared to the way some of the Indians live, maybe it is. Anyway, if we can persuade White Eagle that if he kills somebody, he'll be able to live in the big stone house, too. Well, you see what I mean? But how is that going to put your head? You mean... You mean Sam? Yeah. Why not? But him out of the way, we can get that gold claim of his easy. And White Eagle could live in the big stone house. Yeah, I see what you mean. It was about a week after that when I met Richie in Selkirk. He made a special point of seeing me. I was coming into town with my dog team when he stopped me. Hey, Sergeant Preston, where are you? I want to see you. Okay. Hello, Richie. Glad you got to town, Sergeant. Huh? Sam Moore has thrown a little party tomorrow night to celebrate the big strike you made. It's sure like to have you with us. I'd be glad to come at your cabin. No, no, it's at Sam's. But he said to invite anyone we like. And there won't be many there. The cabin is too small. Well, thanks, Richie. I'll see you at Sam's tomorrow night. All right. Uncanny! I'll see you at Sam's tomorrow night. What a large... There were about, oh, eight men there. I was quite surprised to see White Eagle among them. I didn't know that he was a particular friend of Sam, but Sam had lived in the Yukon for a long time, and I thought they knew each other well. Sam had had quite a bit to drink. And toward the middle of the evening, decided to make a speech. Sit up in the middle of the cabin, and we cleared a place for him. Well, I just... Well, look, look, everybody. Sam wants to make a little speech. He's going to tell us what he's planning to do with all his money. Come on, Sam, tell us about it. You want to get married, Sam? Well, whatever you do, don't leave... Well, boys, that's your big order. Telling you what I'm going to do when I'm rich... I've been poor for so many years... I was standing at the side of the room with King beside me while Sam gave his speech. Everyone was watching Sam, but my attention was attracted suddenly by White Eagle, who was standing behind him. The Indian had drawn his knife and started toward Sam suddenly. I shouted to King... Get him, King! Help! Stop, dog! Take him away! Hey, doesn't that Indian try to kill Sam? What's up, Chuck? Black King, let him up. All right, pull it back. Get up, White Eagle. I'll take that knife. Why did you... Nothing things to do. We ought to take him out and strangle him out. Not so fast, boys. I'll take care of White Eagle, and there won't be any lynching. No more of that talk, Richie. Come on, White Eagle, I'm handcuffing him. We're going into town right now. Imagine that poor Indian trying to knife Sam right in front of the bounty. Never heard of anything like that. White Eagle didn't speak at all on the way back to town. I took him to the local jail and put him in a cell. The jail was empty. It was then that White Eagle asked the question that partled me. Now you send White Eagle to Big Stone House of Whiteman? Big Stone House? What are you talking about? A place where Black Hawk go. Ajax and Big Wolf there. You mean the prison in Ottawa? Maybe you'll not take me. Dogs stop me from killing Sam. You mean you were trying to get me to send you to prison? Me kill man. Me go live in Warm Stone House. Get clothes like White Man. Who told you this? White Eagle not tell. Do you know what really would have happened to you White Eagle if you'd killed Sam? You would have been killed. That's White Man's law. Why them want me be killed? Them friends? They weren't your friends. They wanted to get rid of you and Sam too. The Indians in your tribe have been getting liquor, fire water from someone. Is the man who gave you the fire water tell you this? Me not tell. You're in bad trouble White Eagle. For what you did tonight, maybe you'll stay in this cold jail for many days. The people in your tribe will laugh at you. Now if you'll help me catch these men who told you to do this, I'll let you be my guide on my trips around Selkirk. You'll be a big man in the eyes of your people. You'll give me White Man's shoes? White Man's shoes and a hat for summer. Me tell. Good. Now tell me what happened from the beginning. White Eagle told me everything then. The following day he went with me to the cabin of Richie and Pete. They were getting ready to take a trip and were packing their sled and drove up. Oh, King! Oh, your husband! What's White Eagle doing out of jail? I think you and Pete know that, Richie. I've made White Eagle a special constable to help me arrest you. You can't arrest us! White Eagle told me the plan you made with him, with the one who invited him to Sam's party and you and Pete have been selling him liquor. I have that dirty squeamant. I don't think you will, Pete. All right, White Eagle, handcuff them the way I taught you. Me help police now. Don't you come here! Hold out your hands, Richie. My dog will help White Eagle if necessary. Francois? That's the story of White Eagle. Now, every time I make a patrol in this district, White Eagle acts as my guide and special constable. Sack of blood. I guess Indians, they know now to commit crime does not mean they live in comfort. Well, White Eagle helped me straighten that out. And Sam dropped the charges against White Eagle. I explained what happened. That's why we've never had any trouble with White Eagle or any of his people. So, once more, your dog, he saved somebody's life. Well, that's all in the day's work for King, isn't it, fella? 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. Fred Boy speaking, this is the Michigan Radio Network.