An American boy and girl, spending six months in Kenya with their scientist parents adopt a cheetah, only to realize that they must set it loose so that it can learn to hunt and be free. However, when the animal is captured by poachers planning to race it against greyhounds, the two city kids, together with a young African goat herder they befriended, head off into the wild to rescue the cheetah.

An author discovers that his missing research assistant's disappearance may be related to illegal trade in ivory tusks. He's then asked by the local inspector to help him find the poachers.