*

They went from one gathering place of women to another. To the spice
market, to the fish and meat market, to the bathing and laundering
locations along the river. And everywhere they found animated groups of
women, Isobel went into her speech.

At one point, while Homer stood idly in the crowd, feeling its temper
and the extent to which the girl was dominating them, he felt someone
press next to him.

A voice said, "What is the plan of operation, Yank?"

Homer Crawford's eyebrows went up and he shot a quick glance at the
other. It was Rex Donaldson of the Commonwealth African Department. The
operative who worked as the witchman, Dolo Anah. Crawford was glad to
see him. This was Donaldson's area of operations, the man must have got
here almost as soon as Crawford's team, when he had heard of the
trouble.

Crawford said in English, "They've been gathering for an outbreak of
violence, evidently directed at the Reunited Nations projects
administration buildings. I've seen a few banners calling for El Hassan
to come to power, Africa for the Africans, that sort of thing."

The small Bahamian snorted. "You chaps certainly started something with
this El Hassan farce. What are your immediate plans? How can I
co-operate with you?"

A teenage boy who had been heckling Isobel, stooped now to pick up some
dried cow dung. Almost absently, Crawford put his staff between the
other's legs and tripped him up, when the lad sprawled on his face the
American rapped him smartly on the head.

Crawford said, "Thanks a lot, we can use you, especially since you speak
Dogon, I don't think any of my group does. We're going to hold a big
meeting in front of the square and give them a long monotonous talk,
saying little but sounding as though we're promising a great deal. When
we've taken most of the steam out of them, we'll locate the ringleaders
and have a big indoor meeting. My boys will be spotted throughout the
gang. They'll nominate me to be spokesman, and nominate each other to be
my committee and we'll be sent to find El Hassan and urge him to take
power. That should keep them quiet for a while. At least long enough for
headquarters in Dakar to decide what to do."

"Good Heavens," Donaldson said in admiration. "You Yanks are certainly
good at this sort of thing."

"Takes practice," Homer Crawford said. "If you want to help, ferret out
the groups who speak Dogon and give them the word."

Out of a sidestreet came running Abe B