Tarzan leads five passengers from a downed airplane out of the jungle. En route white hunter Hawkins tries to sell them to the Oparian chief.

After the Banton family rob a store is a small village and kill the local police constable, Tarzan captures one of them, Coy Banton. He decides to return him to the authorities so that the dead policeman's family will benefit from the $5000 reward. The head of the clan, Abel Banton and his two sons have no intention of letting Tarzan deliver Coy and burn the river boat they were to use. Several of the passengers are now stranded forcing Tarzan to take them along on a trek through the jungle. Abel Banton trails them intent not only getting his son back but getting rid of Tarzan.