 Deserted by their safari, lost in the trackless jungles of south-central Africa, Major Burton Ashley, Jeanette Burton, Terrence O'Rourke and Dr. Wong Tai, the four remaining members of the Burton Ashley expedition, go into camp in a little clearing. Tarzan and Darno on the trail of Arab slave traders are passing near the Burton Ashley camp. The angry roars of a nearby lion and the panther convince the ape man that the beasts are stalking human prey. Carrying Darno, he takes to the trees and heads swiftly in the direction of the sound. O'Rourke, in following the footprints of a strange half-human creature, is treed by a lion and attacked in the tree by a savage snarling leopard. With a shot from his rifle, he wounds the leopard, but is thrown to the ground as the brute falls from the tree. He lies stunned and confused in the jungle path. As the lion is about to spring upon him, Tarzan and Darno descending swiftly through the branches land on the trail. Darno drops from the ape man's shoulder and kills the leopard with a bullet from his rifle. As the crouching lion hurls himself toward the half-conscious Irishman, Tarzan leaps forward with a challenging cry of the bull ape. As the lion charges, the ape man steps nimbly aside. Before the brute can turn and gather himself for a second charge, Tarzan leaps upon its back, his feet locked beneath the tarny belly. With the speed of a striking snake, a bronzed muscular arm whips around the huge neck. O'rourke, staggering to his feet, stares in stunned amazement, as the great beast tries desperately to free itself from the clinging man thing. Then Tarzan's long, keen-bladed night plunges again and again deep into the great heart. With a last choking snarl, the savage brute staggers sinks lifeless to the ground. Tarzan is the great sense of the old side. Bravo, Tarzan. Encore and foie, you have done the impossible. Sheetar, the leopard? He's dead, mon ami. As dead as that lion. Faith man, who are ye? What sort of man are ye that kills lions with your bare hands? I am Tarzan of the apes. Tarzan of the apes? May you are not earth, monsieur? No, I was only not dizzy when that panther and me hit the ground together. But did I hear right? Did this gentleman say Tarzan of the apes? He did, my friend. And I am Paul Darneau, Lythmon, the navy of France. I got it. It's unbelievable. If I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes, I... Oh, sure. I'm sure and excuse me, gentlemen. I'm still a bit dizzy from before. My name's Terence O'Rourke. What brought you out here in the jungle so far from your camp alone? I was following a trail when that big devil he killed put me up a tree and the panther knocked me out of it again. Monsieur O'Rourke, you are the rifle. Why did you not shoot the leopard? Yes, and I did. But I only wounded him. He jumped, knocked me gun one way and me the other. If it hadn't been for you, Tarzan of the apes, Terence O'Rourke would be playing a harp for the devil this night. I'm thanking you. Oh, get it. Where is your safari? Ah, the black spellpeams. They deserted two weeks ago and left the four of us to find our way out of the jungle as best we could. Four of you? Major Ashley, Miss Burton, Dr. Wang Tai, a Hayden Chinese, and myself. Miss Burton, there is then a woman in your party? There is. The jungle is no place for a woman. And we all tried to make her see that, but she wouldn't hear of it. She's got a mind of her own, as you'll learn when you meet her. Now if we, if we're to make camp before dark, we'd better start. Right. Come on, Darno. The trail I was following, Tarzan, I'd like for you to have a look at that. The sun dips behind the western hills, turning the azure sky to a deep velvety blue, as the three men vanish in the serried ranks of giant trees. In the little clearing, the great forest rising and ramparts of green above them, Major Ashley, Jeanette, and Dr. Wang are anxiously awaiting the return of O'Rourke. Stop worrying about Terry, Jeanette. He's certainly capable of looking after himself. Oh, but he said he'd be back before dark. And those shots we heard, there were two shots, Uncle Jim. When he left, Terry said that he'd fire twice if he needed help. But they were too far apart to have been a signal. If I am not mistaken, Major, those shots we heard were not fired from the same rifle. Scream. That's the impression I received, Wang. Then that hideous creature I saw must have been armed. But certainly not with a modern sporting rifle, my dear. If he found that Terry was following him, oh, Uncle Jim, Terry may be lying out there in the jungle wounded or dead. We must look for him. Terry is as jungle-wise as any man I know, Jeanette. He's not going to let himself be shot by a native. Don't worry. He'll show up, doesn't he? It is coming night, my child. In a few minutes, it will be dark. Five faces beyond the circle of firelight and... Can you hear that? The jungle beasts prowl and hunt at night. However, if by chance anything has happened to O'Rourke, he cannot be left there alone. I shall find him. But can't we all go? It will minimize the danger that... Oh, the gun! Oh, thank heaven. Terry is now. Terry! Terry! Are you all right? Why, there are two men with him. Look, Uncle Jim, that tall man with Terry. He's wearing a leopard skin garment. And carrying a bow and arrow and a rope. Great Scott, Wang. What a marvelous specimen of manhood. Amazing. Faith, and by the looks of your faces, you were expecting to see Terry O'Rourke's ghost. Oh, Terry. We heard the shot, and you're not wounded. Oh, if he can call a dirty bump on the head of wound. I'm all right. But if it hadn't been for this gentleman, of course, Terry O'Rourke would be worse than wounded. Let me present Lieutenant Darno of the French Navy, and Tarzan of the Apes. Miss Burton, Major Ashley and Dr. Wang Plei, gentlemen. I'm all right. The most surprising occurrence, gentlemen, O'Rourke trails the savage and returns with two white men. How did you accomplish it, Terry? Oh, by God, I ain't shown myself yet. I was following that fellow, Jeanette Sarwin, when a lion put me up a tree. A minute later, I fell out of it with a leopard around my neck. Then these two gentlemen dropped down out of the sky. The lieutenant shot the leopard, and Tarzan killed the lion with a knife. I said, with a knife. If I hadn't seen it with me on two eyes, I'd, well, I'd be calling myself a liar by the clock. Je vous demande pas d'en major, me. Monsieur O'Rourke tells us that your safari deserted you some time ago. You are doubtful as to your present location? In other words, are we lost? Frankly, Lieutenant, we are. Our instruments, compasses, et cetera, along with practically all of our food supplies are in the Kilindini River. Two weeks ago, we attempted to cross while the river was in flood. And your carriers? Why did they leave you? Ah, them blackhaven. It was something about a taboo. It was probably because of our intention to enter country, which was taboo to the natives. You lost your equipment before you entered this country? Yes. We had not fully decided to continue. The matter was under discussion. You see, gentlemen, we were convinced that we were close to our destinations, at least near the territory in which our goalists had to be located. We didn't wish to turn back without making another decision. We turned back without making an attempt to understand if our maps and information were correct. Oh, where were you going? What were you looking for? A place known as the city of Thor. The city of Thor? I have never heard of it. Have you, Tarzan? No. You say you had maps of the region, Major? Yes, but they were lost, along with our other things. You know Africa? The jungle? Well, Mr. Tarzan? Tarzan is enough. Yes, I know the jungle fairly well. Oh, then you can tell us where we are. You are at least three weeks' hard travel from the nearest point of civilization, the white men. Three weeks? And three or four days from the closest native village. Even that will be too far for the supplies we still have. Which direction had you been traveling, Major Ashland? West, hoping to strike a river that would take us to Lake Tanganyika. Tanganyika is a long way from here, northwest. You'd better go with us. We're headed in an opposite direction, but you'll reach a native village in three or four days. We'll accept your offer, Tarzan, of course, and thanks. Your timely arrival has certainly relieved the situation. Your safari is camp near here? We have no safari. You mean, Tarzan, you are traveling alone through this wilderness? Just you two? Yes. But where do you camp to protect yourself from the animals? Where do you get your food? The animals don't annoy us, Miss Burton. Then, gentlemen, you'll remain with us, or rather, we shall join you and place ourselves in your hands. You will accept the leadership of our little party, Tarzan? Yes. Well, that's a relief. Now, Terry, if you'll put some more wood on the fire, I'll see what I can find in this stuff for our supper. Sure, a kushler. I'll have the fire going just in a minute. Listen, strange cry again. It makes my flesh creep. It sounds so, so threatening. That is the second time today, Tarzan. We have heard it. What do you make of it, Monami? Nothing. As I told you this afternoon, it was a good day. Them footprints, I sure do. The ones I followed out there in the jungle. Half-human. But told great talents instead of toys. But they never caught sight of the spell-peen that made them. Oh, Tarzan, it sounds close. There would only be a few minutes after we heard it this afternoon that I saw that awful face watching. Behind you, Tarzan, at the edge of the clearing. Oh, Uncle Jim. What an awful-looking creature. The men about the fire leap to their feet and turn to the spot indicated by Jeanette. Advancing into the circle of firelight, slowly, cautiously, is a monstrous being. Its skin a bright saffron. The repulsive creature's thickly muscled body, naked except for a loincloth made from the height of some animal, is as devoid of hair as a slab of marble. Its feet terminate in two strong, talent-like claws. Small, red wicked eyes fixed grotingly upon Jeanette, glitter evilly from beneath a low, flattened cranium. The great protruding jaw with its wide mouth and thick, slavering lips is thrust savagely forward. In its left hand, the awesome creature carries a twisted cudgel. In its right, a heavy, copper-bladed spear. As the men about the fire leap to their feet, the yellow-skinned creature pauses, bears savagely a Tarzan who steps to meet it. Suddenly, with an unearthly shriek, the half-human being bounds forward, goes.