 African drums are talking. Spotted sunlight fades from the floor of the forest and daytime twilight becomes a wall of inky blackness. The harmless chatter of monkeys changes to the moan of the hyena. The soft calling of birds to the snarling cry of the hunting cat. The beauty of the forest is blotted out. Death stalks abroad and the night becomes hideous with the screams of its unwilling victims. Beauty and death go hand in hand. This is Africa. In the village of the leopard men, Ifabe, the mysterious native girl who has just broken the charm of death cast on Jack by Milini, the witch doctor, hands the professor a beautiful golden goblet with strange carvings on it. Professor Edwards identifies the cup as a very old Egyptian work with Roman lettering and of great value. The girl promises to tell him where there are many more, but first the party must rest for a while as the place is many days' march from the village. We find the professor and Jack just awakening after a full 12 hours' sleep. Well, Jack, you up or about already? What time is it? Four o'clock, sir. Is it? All right, George. Well, I slipped the clock around. Soon be sunset. By the way, how do you feel now? Oh, fine. I've been waiting for the last 15 minutes to ask you what happened. The last thing I remember was Ifabe telling me to sleep. I guess I did. Yes, you did. Soundly. She saved your life, my boy. Ifabe? Oh, hello, Andrew. Oh, that smells good. Banana cakes, eh? Oh, good boy, now. Let me get my boots on and I'll be with you. Any water, Jack? Yes, and that wooden ball over there. A little buana oil well one time, huh? Yes, thanks, and go. But I haven't the thinnest idea of what happened. Which doctor? Him, Makeham, Devil Fettish. Yes, I remember that much. The whole of my right side seem to be paralyzed. I think I remember the pain moving into my left leg, too. Oh, hello, Lorna. Oh, Jack, it's so good to see you well again. Are you all right now, darling? No bad effect? Never felt better, dear. I'm just trying to find out what happened. Perhaps you can tell me. Don't you think we'd better forget about it, dear? The whole thing seems like a nightmare now. Let's just be thankful and grow, brought a farbie along when he did. But how did a farbie come to... Oh, forget about it for now, Jack. We'll discuss it later. Eh, eh, that wars took the cobwebs out of my head. You know, there's something interesting I want to discuss with you. Well, it's something thrilling, Jack, and matches perfectly with what an guru said was going to happen. You mean about the help? The buried money? Yes, but it isn't money that's buried. Here, take a look at this cup. Isn't it beautiful? Great sconce, sir. Where did you get that? Well, it's solid gold. What do you make of the carvings? Well, it's certainly Egyptian work. But this, um... That's a lot. At me guessing for a while, I've been sent out of it. What does it say on Father? Well, as far as I can make out, the cup evidently belonged to a set of gold plate that was owned by a gentleman called Septimus. He was a governor of some unheard of state. But where did it come from? How did you get it, sir? It probably brought it. Lord, that woman again? She seems to be in everything. Oh, I'm afraid she's going to be in a lot more before we can get rid of her. She made Father promise to help her in some mysterious quest before she'd attempt to... Well, before she'd help you. Oh, I see. Well, you better fill up on these banana cakes while they're hot, people. Very good. The girl cooked them. I had mine in my hut before you folks were about. How did he make them, Father? With flour from dried bananas. Native dish. Now, come on, Jack. I'm a bit worried about that promise you had to make, sir. That put you in a rather awkward position. Well, it probably certainly chose the right moment to ask it. But now, uh, I'm not at all sorry if she did. She says there are a lot more gold cups where that one came from. But the whispering forest of death she spoke of... What does she mean by that? It sounds horrible. Oh, it's a native name for part of unexplored jungle. I've heard it spoken of. Fantastic tales of voices that speak from nowhere. You know, the usual native chatter. Well, what about the spores? That's where we have to go. Any white men been in there, sir? No, not that I know of. The natives won't go near the place. But beyond what I've told you, they're as ignorant as you are on the subject. Don't even know where it's located? Somewhere on the border. And from what if Bobby says it's out of the jurisdiction of the white men? I don't like the name of that forest. Oh? Bona, neat snake woman. Pillum plenty, huh? There isn't, girl. I've never known her to be wrong. But there's one thing we must be very careful of. We must never actually trust if Bobby. Apparently, yes. She's a combination of breeds that I'm afraid don't make for stability. There's a lot about her I don't like. Are you expecting trouble from her, sir? No. And if we find this cash of gold, I'm positive the moment her eyes contact anything of real value, she can't help herself. It's natural. We can't blame her. It's in the blood. Bona, moon witch, she comes. Oh, here she comes now. Now don't forget, implicit trust in two. Oh, come in here, Bobby. You have rested well, white man. Yes, completely. And I'm anxious to hear more of this journey you wish just to undertake. We begin with the rising moon, for the keepers of the treasure have left their hearts, and we must follow them. The young Bona is well again. Yes. I'm told I have you to thank for being on my feet once more. It is of no matter. For if Bobby has need of the white man's help. Well, who are these keepers of the treasure? They are the ones whose place it is to visit the whispering forests of death and talk with the spirits of those who once were. With the passing of the four seasons, the waning of a moon, these two men leave their hearts for that purpose. Hmm. Yes, I've heard of such things. They keep the secret of the treasure in one family and visit it once a year to see that it's safe. And no man may follow the cause of the devils who guard the way. Well, then how did you come by this cup of gold, if Bobby? There were three brothers, white man. They were called the keepers of the treasure. One of them brought the cup to me as a gift. And now there are only two keepers, eh? Yes. They guard their secret well. The other two found out, eh? Evidently. So, uh, you don't know the exact location. If Bobby knows that it lies below the surface of the earth in a box which rests between two upright stones, these stones have a writing upon them which no man may read. But the way through the forest is dark and the keepers of the treasure know the secret path. Which will make it easier, of course. Does anyone in the village know of your intentions? I have caused it to be known that I visit the soles of the dead, which is true. But there are many in the whispering forest of death. M'guro. Aye, Buona. You've heard what if Bobby has to say. I thank you. Buona him say go, and guru say go. Maybe catch him for his devil, make him fight her. That's all you live for. In the hope there'll be a fight. And we may catch a forest devil at that. Well, any suggestions, people? Personally, Father, I'd like to know more about this forest with the spooky name. Does if Bobby know anything about it? If Bobby knows that the breath of eternal sleep whispers unceasingly through its branches and even the jackals may not stay within the reach of its perfumed breath. Mmm, perfumed breath, eh? Well, aren't you afraid to go in there, if Bobby? Best holds no terror for if Bobby. Since life and death are but one in many ways. Mmm, all right then. It's settled. When do you want to start? It is where to begin now, as the sun is leaving the earth. If Bobby will meet you where the trail joins the mountain. Where does the trail begin? To the east of the village, and will lead along the roots of the mountains. Your warrior will find it. The keepers of the treasure will not hide their marks. For all men know it is forbidden to follow. If Bobby goes now, you will see her in the face of my father shining upon the earth. Hmm. Well, that starts us on the move again. Feel up to it, Laura? Yes, I think I'm just as anxious to get there as you are. Well, we haven't anything to pack. How about supplies, sir? Have to trust it luck. We hope there's meat to be found along the road. What's that you have there, Guru? Him, plenty of banana, make him bread, Buanna. Hmm, banana flour. Well, you people can have all the meat you want. I'll take him, Guru, a cake. Well, have you left anything in your heart that you might need, Laura? No, I haven't anything to leave, Father, unless it was some of the dirt from the cave. Hear that leopard, sir? Yes. Sounds as if it's been wounded. Drum's talking, too. Buanna, him which doctor go for be plenty dead. Look only, say, middle-dead. Middle-dead? Hmm, well, let's have a look. Hey, George, yes, they're pulling down the walls of his hut. There'll be a dance of death in the village tonight. Does it say how he died, Father? No, they're merely equating other witch doctors of the fact. But I think I can make a good guess. Malini and I probably practically ran this village between them. I was wondering how they were going to split up. He evidently knew she was going after the treasure. I saw the traveling companion to look forward to, sir. Hey, so you see what we have to look out for? Well, there's another message going on. The natives are gathering in the square. They seem excited about something. Buanna, locally, say, white man dower killed Malini. What did he say, Father? That the problem says the white man's medicine killed Malini. Quick, everybody, we've got to move out right away. I'll bet the chief's stun started that. Well, they're starting down this way, sir. We can't leave now without being seen. Cut away through the back of the hut. We can get into the high grass before they get here. Use the big sword, Nguro. Aye, Buanna. That'll do. Buanna, I'll lead the way, Nguro. Follow him, Buanna. Have we got everything, Jack? I think so. All right. Let's go.