While relaxing from war activities, Baron von Emmelman, while studying Egyptian papers, discovers that the Secret Essence of Life did exist, and could be found in two containers buried under each paw of the Sphinx. But the Baron is shot down before he can make it to Egypt. Years later, the Heap returns to the swamp in which he died and discovers the wreckage of his plane, but also the paper revealing the Secret Essence. He begins the journey, stopping to save a fisherman's life, who then gets a boat for the Heap to cross over to Africa.