mbled sourly. "All your life you
figure you're in favor of democracy. You devote your career to expanding
it. Then you come to a place like North Africa. You're just kidding
yourself. Democracy is meaningless here. They haven't got to the point
where they can conceive of it."

"And--" Elmer Allen prodded.

Jake Armstrong shrugged. "When it comes to governments and social
institutions people usually come up with what they want, sooner or
later. If those mobs down there want a leader, they'll probably wind up
with one." He grunted deprecation. "And then probably we'll be able to
say, Heaven help them."

Isobel puckered her lips. "A leader isn't necessarily a misleader,
Jake."

"Perhaps not necessarily," he said. "However, it's an indication of how
far back these people are, how much work we've still got to do, when
that's what they're seeking."

"Well, I'm landing," Cliff said. "The airport looks free of any kind of
manifestations."

"That's a good word," Abe said. "Manifestations. Like, I'll have to
remember that one. Man's been to school and all that jazz."

Cliff grinned at him. "Where'd you like to get socked, beatnik?"

"About two feet above my head," Abe said earnestly.

* * * * *

The aircraft had hardly come to a halt before Homer Crawford clipped
out, "All right, boys, time's a wasting. Bey, you and Kenny get over to
those administration buildings and scare us up some transportation. Use
no more pressure than you have to. Abe, you and Elmer start getting our
equipment out of the luggage--"

Jake Armstrong said suddenly, "Look here, Homer, do you need any help?"

Crawford looked at him questioningly.

Jake said, "Isobel, Cliff, what do you think?"

Isobel said quickly, "I'm game. I don't know what they'll say back at
AFAA headquarters, though. Our co-operating with a Sahara Development
Project team."

Cliff scowled. "I don't know. Frankly, I took this job purely for the
dough, and as outlined it didn't include getting roughed up in some riot
that doesn't actually concern the job."

"Oh, come along, Cliff," Isobel urged. "It'll give you some experience
you don't know when you'll be able to use."

He shrugged his acceptance, grudgingly.

Jake Armstrong looked back at Homer Crawford. "If you need us, we're
available."

"Thanks," Crawford said briefly, and turned off the unhappy stare he'd
been giving Cliff. "We can use all the manpower we can get. You people
ev