On the road from Baghdad to Damascus, a caravan is attacked by an infamous slaver called the Jackal. The only survivors are David, aged 16, Sarah, aged 15, and Sarah's manservant Geoffrey. Pursued by the Jackal, Geoffrey is killed but Sarah and David flee across the desert on a camel and find a beautiful oasis, which they call Paradise. There they find a chimpanzee and his mate, and they discover each other...