 the challenge of the Yukon King the swiftest strongest of Eskimoly 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 preserving the right the challenge of the north was answered and justice rule triumphant Sergeant Preston was breaking camp early one morning the icy cold of the north chilling his face suddenly as he turned from the fire he noticed King the dog seemed to be listening intently his nose in the air every muscle momentarily tense in spite of himself the Mounties stood still but the quiet of the Yukon seemed to him unbroken it was then that King a strange savage growl in his throat ran from the Mountie toward a line of pine tree and he heard something I'm sure of it but what well it's only one way to find out go after him he stopped ahead there what is it fella what's wrong I don't see so that's it it's like you chased someone out of here King yes whoever it was he's almost out of sight but why King standing over by the campfire but that man's retracing his tracks he came up to here and stopped then walked over and stood here he could see perfectly from here and he must have been watching us when King sent something wrong King old fella I don't know what I'd do without you but this is one time I well I'm stopped you got away without me hearing am I if your barks covered any noises he made I couldn't even get a look at him why would anyone come up here stand and watch us was he intending to head back for Fort Munn or did you make up his mind for him well we're heading in his direction maybe we'll just keep to those tracks returning to his campsite Sergeant Preston scattered the fire preparing to follow the mysterious traveler who had aroused King once on the trail the great dog covered distance quickly keeping to the tracks cut clearly in the snow but as they approached Fort Munn the Mountie found that other tracks obscured those made by the stranger and it was more and more difficult to separate one from another till he was forced to admit the hopelessness of pursuing the man further it's not wrong for anyone to ride so far in a trail and then change his mind certainly there's no ground for suspicion there okay all you have to do well there's one thing you're sure of in Fort Munn this cafe opens the first thing in the morning and it's the last building to be darkened at night well King we're bound to find some news in here Malibu hello there how are you glad to see you that's what I am oh no that's what I call a real welcome what what's wrong you look like you've lost your claim or something be true or if you'd say I look like I I lost my best friend their best friend Sergeant when I found Mike dead yesterday I I prayed that you come to Fort Munn Mike they shot him in the back dirty yellow skunks he didn't have a chance was snowing when I found him no tracks that I could make out he was murdered yeah if I knew who did it I the back where I come from we have a name for men that shoot from ambush where'd you find him out near those two big rocks west of here oh yes I know the place he never did anybody any harm Sergeant Oliver wait a minute let's go over this slowly are you say you found him yes yes I found him what reason would anyone have for killing Mike unless somebody could have killed him for his gold that's what everybody here in town thinks and you well I guess that must be it Fred Johnson said Mike drew out every bit of the dust he had in the bank hmm can't argue with a banker you mean you'd have an argument to give Fred about that oh it's not that but you see Mike never came to town without stopping to see me yes yes I know according to Fred Mike drew out his dust and then headed back toward his claim if I didn't know he went to the bank I'd say he was shot in this way in the town I see but I don't know I'm just glad you're here Sergeant because I want to see the man that murdered Mike hang the sooner he does the easier I'll rest I can't promise you how soon he'll be brought to justice but he will be you well you didn't find any of the dust on him not a trace of it even the polky carried with him was gone here I'm keeping you out in the cold I guess you're going into the cafe well I thought I'd find some news by going in talking to the boys but we've had enough news for a while King that's funny look at King he's watching Fred and that man with him you don't know who he is well Sergeant Preston what's that make happen for quiet King quiet boy and that's better boy how are you Fred fine hello Oliver Fred going inside why yes yes we're going in how about it Oliver I'm sure not going in to celebrate anything still feel pretty bad about Mike Oliver I don't blame you we all know excuse me a minute I see Joe Higgins over there I want to talk to you go ahead Fred I wondered if he'd introduce his friend friend maybe thought you knew him well hardly I did I have spoken to him no no I don't know him but King here does Sergeant Preston watched the two men make their way through the room his face was thoughtful as he noticed the bankers speak for a moment to Joe Higgins at the far end of the bar then the two walked to a table in the corner the man looked over his shoulder quickly as if to make sure no one was listening before he spoke that's the one I told you I saw him out he told me you were ready to drop him when that dog started for you dog I should have dropped him why didn't you guys when that much started coming at me that policeman is right behind him with a gun in his hand you could have stopped them both not the way that dog was coming I couldn't I came back here to warn you warned me listen we're in the clear yeah that Molly was talking to the friend of the prospectors what difference does that make Oliver doesn't suspect a thing you're new here you just came in from the state see just so long as you don't say where in the states you're safe here I got my fellow looking out from behind bar Johnson you better handle this ride you keep your mouth shut and don't run from every loose lead dog in the Yukon we won't have anything to worry about I ain't running from any dog but Preston's one Molly I don't aim to cross Preston's like all the rest of them if you're smart you'll stay with me and you'll clean up enough to leave this country a rich man I always wondered how bankers got their money an easier way to get gold and digging for it though he talked to Oliver sergeant Preston watched the two men at the far end of the room closely King here looks like he's waiting for something he's just given me an idea Oliver how can a dog king and I work together he's been right every time he's ever started after something well I do say a dog's got a sixth sense well I don't know whether it's a sixth sense or not that's what they call it I won't disagree where you're going I just want to talk to Fred we thought we'd join you Fred pull up a chair yeah I'll take that one sergeant you're a stranger important one aren't you yeah oh I forgot you and the sergeant don't know each other slim sergeant this is slim west slim sergeant Preston hi what do you do staying with Fred slim yes he's staying with me for a while that is until he gets staked out on his own it's mighty nice of you to help him out it isn't as if we were strangers say well you two have forget about me Fred I'm not drinking and or am I you go right north if you're sure you don't want anything too specials find Oliver told me about Mike yes that was a shame Mike was one of the well I guess you could call him one of the finest men here in Fort Mountain I understand he drew his dust out of the bank a short time before he was murdered yes sir he did and I told him it was very unwise you know how Mike was headstrong you couldn't tell him anything once he made up his mind do you think you'll catch the murderous sergeant everyone knows he was robbed killed for his gold sometimes takes quite a while to bring a killer to justice you've got a sizable job in your hands kind of the snowstorm there were no tracks you come in the drink slim yeah that's it clean do I'll take care of it slim let's see if the cafe is really empty you should be getting back the bank for it can't be way too long but you mind if I look at that poke friend it's poke yes I thought I saw some initials on it no you imagine things sergeant I've never had my initials on this I don't put it away friend I asked to see it I'm not putting it away good I was reaching for it if it's your poke let's see it it's not my pull that's what I thought you know Fred you can't have that so I'll hand it to you you notice something I overlooked I forgot about initials on that poke what's this all about it's all about how Mike was murdered Oliver what yes murdered you were right he probably didn't go to the bank he didn't get that far that's about as far as you'll get money he couldn't have drawn out dust that wasn't there go on let them hear how much you know about it you won't live to tell anyone else I don't know that about this you stay where you maybe you'd like to hear the sergeant tell his story of how I killed Mike Gallagher when he finishes I can tell you what will happen I can't believe it I'll put this gun in my pocket you'll all walk in front of me out of here and you'll be found like Mike was found it won't get away with it Fred that's what you think we'll be seen leaving here with you by the time you're found I'll be well on my way to Skagway in a boat out of here no money it's no use you're taking orders from me all right I'll put these handcuffs on you Fred just so you won't reach for a gun again I guess you'll have to carry slim and with a real sock you gave him sergeant but I never saw anything like King talk about six cents King's responsible for catching these murderers Oliver Slim must have been leaving Fort Mon this morning when he saw me breaking camp getting ready to come through he wanted to warn Fred so he came back here how King knew he was watching or what his intentions were I don't know when we met Fred and Slim outside the cafe he started growling that's right well that was when I began wondering I wondered why Slim would warn Fred a policeman was headed this way until I remembered Oliver saying he suspected Mike hadn't been to the bank it'd be simple enough for Fred to make it seem that Mike had drawn out his dust when in reality he'd been stealing it and when you saw the initials on the pope I said I thought I saw some initials on it what you mean there aren't any initials and you'll have to look to see Fred wasn't sure either he just knew he was carrying around Mike's poker gold and his conscience did the rest well I'll be doggone as 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 the same time challenge of the Yukon a copyrighted feature of the challenge of the Yukon Incorporated brought to you every Saturday at this time originated in the transcription studios of WXYZ Detroit the characters and events in tonight's