 This was Universal s 37th sound-era serial (between "Radio Patrol" and "Flash Gordon s Trip To Mar") and was based on the long-running King Features comic strip by Lyman Young. Tim Tyler (Frankie Thomas)and his sidekick, Spud (Billy Benedict) had been members of The Ivory Patrol in adventures in the newspapers prior to the making of this serial, but the story here starts with Tim coming to Africa in search of his father, Professor Tyler (Al Shean), a noted scientist who has gone to the gorilla country and turned up missing. Tim stows away on a river steamer and meets Lora Lacey, posing as Lora Graham (Frances Robinson)who is searching for "Spider" Webb (Norman Willis), an ivory-safari robber and thief of a diamond, and Lora s brother is unjustly serving time for the theft. Lora and Tim pursue Webb, which leads them to Tim s captive father, and they are able to beat Webb and his minions, vindicate Lora s brother and share a vast ivory treasure.