 Mungo, chief of the Taurian warriors, has killed Major Burton Ashley in a battle while Tarzan and his friends were attempting to escape from the subterranean passages of Torr. The ape man claims the ancient right of the yellow men and challenges Mungo to a combat to the death. While awaiting the day set for the combat, Tarzan, Oruk, Darno, and Ookar, the giant yellow-skinned Rathorian spy, are set to the paddocks of the war elephants by Artea, savage white queen of Torr. Tarzan befriends a huge savage bull elephant who later carries Darno and Ookar out of the paddocks to the city wall over which they make their escape to the jungle beyond the city. While Artea and Wong Tai, the suave Chinese scientist, discuss the fate of Jeanette Burton, Ru-Tang, Artea's captain of the elephant men, brings word that two of his prisoners have vanished. Two of Ru-Tang's prisoners gone? Impossible. Ru-Tang, enter! Come here! Speak, Ru-Tang, in the tongue of the Anglos so that Wong Tai may understand. Tarzan make Black Maluk good elephant. Then white men go to sleep. Pretty sure there's much noise. Black Maluk break through paddock gate, run wild in city. But the men, how did they escape? Ru-Tang no can say. Ru-Tang find Tarzan and Ookar sleeping quarter. Other two gone. Ru-Tang and Darno and Ookar. A second attempt at escape haven't won. Again those two. You have searched the paddocks, Ru-Tang? Carefully? Ru-Tang look all over. Take Tarzan and Ook along. No phylum. Those men were placed in your care, my Ru-Tang. If you do not find them, you pay with your life. Search the city. Send these special patrols beyond the outer walls and into the jungle. Go! And Tarzan and Terent O'Rourke illustrious one. An interview with them may be enlightening. It will be, Wong Tai, I assure you. Mungo, bring Tarzan and O'Rourke here to me at once. Let they also escape that full Ru-Tang. Go! Arukatio! This time there will be no interference in my plans. Darno and Ookar, once they are recaptured, will go directly without delay to the fires of Tor. I shall see to it myself. O Shaikai, it is good. Certain details engrave themselves upon the tablet of recollection by their persistence. There is no doubt in the mind of this person that Tarzan engineered their first attempt to escape. Is it not therefore conceivable that he planned and assisted them in the second? Not only is it conceivable, but I am sure of it. The many-sidedness of Tarzan's character is to be computed neither by rule nor by measure. Had he been separated at once from the others, none would have escaped. Your suggestion is good, Wong Tai, though it comes too late. And nothing aptly is it written when the leading carriage is upset. The next one is more careful. I do not understand. What do you mean by that? This person did not consider such advice necessary to the all-wise presence. There are times, Wong Tai, when this person is somewhat doubtful as to your loyalty. Take care, Wong Tai. Take care. Tanya, bring the woman, Janet Burton, here to me. The all-wise Artea wrongs this person. Who has an unaccountably strange desire to continue in his present ordinary existence? Then again I warn you, Wong Tai. Be careful. Enter, Janet Burton. Go, Tanya. I shall call you. What do you want of me, Artea? My women treat you well. You have no cause for complaint. Your women treat me. They've been ordered to treat me. They're ignorant savages. Oh, I'm sorry you do not like them. But that is because you do not understand the customs of our land. But perhaps you would like to become one of the first ladies of Thor. What do you mean? What I say, Janet Burton, but we shall speak of that later. Perhaps on the day of the combat between Mungo and Tarzan of the Eighth. You have definitely decided on the day heaven barred? Yes. It shall take place as a climax to the games and sports which always occur on the last day of the feast of Pantu. The feast of Pantu? Each year sacrifices to the great god of Thor are made. You have seen his golden image in the Hall of Sacrifice? The third and last day of the feast is given over to games and sports in the public arena. And may this one be so bold as to inquire when the feast of Pantu takes place? At the beginning of the new moon, ten days hence. Ten days? The time is short. I did not hear, Wong Tai. Speak louder. This person stated the time is propitious heaven born. It will be a day of well-achieved triumph for your ancestors. It will be a day of triumph for me, Wong Tai. When Tarzan of the Eighth lies broken at my feet. A strange love it is, Artea, that you profess for Tarzan to permit him to fight a brutal perhaps kill him? Perhaps. There is no doubt of that. Yet I could, at a single word from him, set aside this combat and spare his life. Then why don't you if you love him? What do you know of love, you fight-and-gold creature? That he seems to value you? Why, I cannot conceive. You cannot give him what I can. I am fire beside your pale beauty. I might burn him, but he would welcome the hurt. I could win him to me and hold him, if I would. But he must come to me freely. Enter. Wong-o bring Tarzan for up. Coming then, coming. Oh, Terry, Terry. Oh, Chinay-Talana. Are you all ready? Silence. Well, Tarzan of the Eighth, speak. Where are your friends? Darno and Uka. Why, I suppose, by this time? You see, Your Majesty, it's like this. We were all asleep in our quarters, and we were awakened by a great noise. It was Rutan and his men come to send us after Black Mole. The elephant that broke out of the paddock. When we woke up, the elephant was gone. And so were the Lieutenant and Uka. Does he speak the truth, Tarzan? When Rutan came to awaken us, Darno and Uka were gone. Terry, what is this about Lieutenant Darno and Uka? Ah, they've escaped, heading for Uka's home. But we know nothing about it, darling. Remember that. May this one be permitted a question heaven-born? Yes, speak. One may assume that an elephant in crashing his way through an enclosure would create a disturbance sufficient to awaken one who sleeps as lightly as do you, Tarzan. And yet you were not aroused from sleep until men came for you. You heard nothing? No. Strange. Perhaps then you were not asleep when the elephant and Lieutenant Darno and Uka took leave, eh? We were dead to the world, you haven't spelled pain. And if you don't like that answer, you can take yourself to the devil. Oh, holy Saint Patrick, if I could only get me two hands on you. Enough. The men cannot have escaped beyond the city wall. They will be found. And I myself shall see to it that they are consigned immediately to the fires of Tor. And meanwhile, what are we to do? Return to the paddocks? Oh, no, my Tarzan. It would be too simple a matter for you to escape the full rotang. You and the double-tongued red-haired one will await the day of your combat with Mungo in the jewel pits of Tor, where you will be chained, hand and foot with the other slaves. Under the flip-flashes you will burrow in the ground, seeking jewels. Jungle Midnight. Sable-vested star-studded heavens. The distant hills and mountains, visible as though viewed through a sheet of silvered gauze under the soft, diffused radiance of a tropical moon. And overall, far and near, the constant jungle murmur, mysteriously chuckling of death in hidden things. Dono and Uka, the giant Ratorian, make their slow, cautious way along a densely-shadowed path to which the silver moon rays cannot penetrate. Not great, but it is dark, Uka Munami. I can barely see you. It is good, Dono, that it is so. Had the moon risen before we reached the shadow of the jungle, Tarzan's planning would have been useless. Ah, we's a compon-sa. Nevertheless, I do not enjoy this wandering through a forest infested with savage beasts. Dono at the breast! Listen to that fellow. He is very near and very hungry. We will stop in one of these great trees until dawn. We are not yet out of danger from the Torian jungle patrols. I should like to see out there's space when she learns about escape. Tarzan and O'Rourke will have to bear the brunt of her wrath. Let us hope that her anger will not cause her to kill them immediately. I am not worried about that, Mungu. Tarzan and that clever O'Rourke will find some plausible explanation. And remember, too, she is deeply infatuated with Tarzan. And the forthcoming battle between Tarzan and Mungu. A tear devotes many days to the preparation of such a combat. It will give us time to return from Rottau with warriors before the combat takes place. There is something I should like to witness. Tarzan will most certainly not permit himself to be killed by Mungu. With all his strength, Tarzan cannot stand against Mungu. I have seen Mungu battle against my own people. He is a cruel mighty killer. Yet you have seen Tarzan kill a huge savage lion with only a knife? Have you ever heard of the mighty Mungu doing that? No, Dono. Never before have I witnessed such a feat. That lion is too close for Comfortuka. Don't make haste. Is not that a clearing just beyond us? He is stoking us from behind. He is not ready to make his charge. Oh, dear Tarzan, only we're here. Only a step farther than that tree with a low hanging limb at the edge of the clearing. As the two men step quickly from the dense jungle shadow out into the bright moonlight of the clearing and move toward the tree indicated by the Rattalion, a raucous series of coughs herald the immediate charge. Its black mane flying in the wind of its rush, starling jaws wide, eyes blazing savagely. The huge jungle terror leaps toward them at express speed.