They are led to Tarzan's escarpment home by Captain Fry (John Buckler), a hunter with an agenda of his own.

Jane convinces Tarzan to let her go back with Eric (William Henry) and Rita (Benita Hume), promising that their separation will only be temporary.

Fry's plan goes wrong when the natives capture Tarzan in his cage and all four white people are taken prisoner.

Tarzan manages to escape with the help of elephants and Cheeta, and guides what's left of Fry's party through a cave passage filled with treacherous quicksands.

Fry starts to go back, then seizes a heavy branch to attack Tarzan, but before he can exit the cave he falls into a quicksand bog (filled with "poisonous" iguanas) and is swallowed up.

McKay had received a Production Assistant credit on Trader Horn (1931), directed by W. S. Van Dyke.