 African drums are calling. The slow rhythmic cadence of the drums penetrates into the deepest bush. It crosses black sinuous rivers and on into the surrounding country, rising and falling to the vagaries of the African breeze. It is a funeral dirge. And in the open space in the center of some village lies the cold body of a great chief. Slowly, each stepping carefully to his distance from the next comes a line of seven warriors. They circle the body, firelight playing a ghostly symphony along muscular bodies. They pause, but the wave-like ripples coursing continually up and down the back and out along the arms to the fingertips never ceases. It is the dance of death. They take up their rhythmic step again, keeping their distance. Or if the aura of two warriors overlap, both will die. All and on they dance, past the false dawn, with the villagers standing in a great outer circle. And with the coming of day, the ceremony is complete. Professor Anton Edwards, his daughter, Lorna, and his assistant, Jack Martin, have been captured by a savage tribe while on an expedition into the wilds of Africa. Guru, the professor's huge Maasai bodyguard, has crept up to the hut where the two men are confined and slipped weapons to them. Jack and the professor were awaiting Guru's signal when a cry from Lorna reached their ears. I can't sit still with that scream of Lorna's ringing in my ears. Let's do something, sir. We can't do a thing, Jack. If she's in danger, and Guru will take care of it. He's probably with her by now. It can't be very serious or we'd have heard him in the center of a fight. Hmm. Guns have stopped. Do you really think she's all right? I know she's not in any immediate danger or Guru would have let us know before now. Oh, yes, I guess so. But just waiting when... Patience, Jack, my boy. If I'm not mistaken, we'll be out of here shortly and in a position to really do something if necessary. You have a lot of faith in Guru, haven't you? Yes, my boy. I've never yet known him to miss. He's always in the right spot at the right time. He seems to have done it well this time, sir. But I don't yet see how we're going to get out. We're only three against the whole tribe. Well, the odds are pretty large, I know. But it's dark now. It's been done for a while, my lad, and there's no reason why it can't be done again. What are your plans? Well, if I know one Guru, he'll wait for the moon to drop behind the trees before starting anything. The village will be asleep by then, except for these guards and the ones tending the fire. But the moment we try to break out, the whole place will be roused. We won't make the first move, Jack. That's when Guru's. It's his job to attend to the guard outside this door. Then as silently as we can, we get to the hut where Lorne is. Do the same for her. Perfectly simple. Yes, so it sounds. But you're used to this sort of thing, sir. You've done it before. I'm afraid I'm going to prove a handicap. If you'll obey me implicitly, you won't. On the contrary, you'll be a great help. That's very good of you to say that. Well, I can't help feeling I'm going to blunder somewhere. It's just the fact that Lorne's freedom hangs on us, makes you feel that way. You got that revolver strapped on you? Yes, sir. It's the most comforting thing I've laid my hands on since we were taken. Hmm. Yeah, that's who Guru. He's starting. Won't be long now. Remember, Jack, that gun is not to be used unless it's the end of our plans. Very well, sir. One shot would rouse the village. If a native passes close to you, lie still and try to avoid him. But if he comes for you, use your hands on his throat and stop his yelling. The thing I'm afraid of is making a noise. That's the next move, Jack. Take your boots off. We'll have to leave him behind. I hate to do it. Just broken knees in from marching. Good Lord, sir. How about jiggers? We'll have to trust the luck and take a chance on those little fellas. Roll your riding britches up above your knees, too. What's that for? The same as taking your boots off. The first part of our journey will have to be made on hands and knees. You want to be able to feel any dried twigs before you put your weight down. You snap one and the whole place will be awake instantly. Yes, that's what I'm afraid of, sir. Well, feel with your hands, knees and feet before you put them down. And put them down as softly as possible. What was that? It's a guru doing his job. Are you all set to go, Jack? All set. I'll give him sleep soundly, Buana. That's good and guru. How many are there between us and my daughter? No matter. We kill them. All go so-so for Buana, guru. It is well. Point the way. Follow Buana. Keep to the shadow, Jack. Keep with me and don't lag. All right. Those men, but they're fires. Keep moving. They can't see anything outside the circle of the light. I think the guru's still lying still. Yeah. It's all right now. Go on. One of them got up to put wood on the fire. That is house where Missy lies. The one on the end there. I see. It is safe to rise now, eh? Aye. These men... Ah! I watch. See nothing. All for... All for Buana. All right and guru. Jack, we're going to leave you here. If any of them leave the fire and start over toward us, hoot like an owl as I've taught you. Here's a good knife. I shall leave it. But only as a last resort after we've been discovered. Can you use the gun? I understand, sir. One of us will come back for you if all goes well. If not, you'll soon know about it. But whatever you do, don't pass between the fire and the guards around Lorna's hut. Got it? Yes. Come on, un guru. We can move past. This like year pass Buana. Year war come long. Yes. Yes, I've been thinking of that myself. Is it good, un guru? It is good. To warrior, you, me, happy. They aren't my child. I speak missy. She's safe. These men house cattle. No eye, no ear, no smell. They slay one man. They're serving one man, eh? Aye, Buana. What is he? You know? Un guru, no, not. Un guru, smell him white man. White man? Maybe some renegade, eh? That missy prison hut so-so. How many men guarding it? Uh-huh. Good for you, me. Too, eh? Not so simple as that. He come for wood for fire. No ear, neck break. Down, Buana, down. Only this time I took the feet and they had fell to you. Un guru, slow Buana. In Buana hands, neck him break quick- Look. The other one has told us something. He's come to the edge of that, looking this way. Dog. Him, no good God. Him, come. If he leaves his post through curiosity, he's in for a lesson. Him, ancestor, wait in heaven. Uh-huh. He come. You take him forehead, Buana. Open, un guru, come. Aye, Buana. Buana hands, quick. Eh, take the far side of that. Maybe there are more centuries there. Nay, Buana, no more. Un guru, no. Father, I knew you'd come. Hush, dear. Un guru, go back for little Buana. All right, un guru. Where shall we meet? Meet by the hut. Aye, look. See two men. Aye, go. How did you do it, Father? Un guru did it all. But first, tell me if you're all right. Have they hurt you? Not a bit. I've been terribly scared, but that's all. They haven't laid a finger on me. Thank heaven for that. Where's Jack? We left him to give the signal that they found we'd gone. He'll be here in a minute. Tell me, what happened when you were taken to the chief's hut? That's the strange part. There was a white man there, and I swear I've seen him somewhere before. A white man? Eh, now I begin to understand a few things. Oh, he was very courteous. That the whole thing was unavoidable and out of his hand. Was he short and with a thick bushy beard? Yes. You know who it is. Yeah, the way. Here they are. Buana, Boma, have two, two guards. Find dead man, so-so. Eh, double the guard to the gate, eh? Good. Now there's one for each of us, Un'Guru. Little Buana in no part. Un'Guru show. Yes. He showed me which way to go. All right then, Jack. Follow us with an honor, but keep a good distance. When the way is clear, you'll hear the hoot for an hour. So wait for it before approaching the opening. Good luck, sir. Oh, Jack, I knew something would happen to get us out of this mess. We're not out of it yet, dear. But I think we've got the worst part over. Careful how you walk. Yeah. We dare not spoil things now. Where's Father gone? To make sure we can get out. These bushes circle the top of this hill. The only way to get out is where we came in. And they're guarding it. Yes. Is there any danger for Father? No. At least I don't think so, since I saw some of his work back there. There's good us out right now.