aker at the head of possibly two
or three hundred arm waving, shouting, stick brandishing Africans. A few
of them had banners which were being waved in such confusion that nobody
could read the words inscribed. Most of them seemed to be younger men,
even teen-agers.

"Good Heavens," Donaldson said again.

At first snap opinion, Crawford thought his assistant was being pursued
and started forward to the hopeless rescue, but then he realized that
Abe was heading the mob. Waving his staff, the New Yorker was shouting
slogans, most of which had something to do with "El Hassan" but
otherwise were difficult to make out.

The small mob charged out of the street and through the square, still
shouting. Abe began to drop back into the ranks, and then to the edge of
the charging, gesticulating crowd. Already, though, some of them seemed
to be slowing up, even stopping and drifting away, puzzlement or
frustration on their faces.

Those who were still at excitement's peak, charged up another street at
the other side of the square.

In a few moments, Abe Baker came up to them, breathing hard and wiping
sweat from his forehead. He grinned wryly. "Man, those cats are way out.
This is really Endsville." He looked up at where Isobel was haranguing
her own crowd, which hadn't been fazed by the men who'd charged through
the square going nowhere. "Look at old Isobel up there. Man, this whole
town's like a combination of Hyde Park and Union Square. You oughta hear
old Jake making with a speech."

"What just happened?" Homer asked, motioning with his head to where the
last elements of the mob Abe'd been leading were disappearing down a
dead-end street.

"Ah, nothing," Abe said, still watching Isobel and grinning at her.
"Those cats were the nucleus of a bunch wanted to start some action.
Burn a few cars, raid the library, that sort of jazz. So I took over for
a while, led them up one street and down the other. I feel like I just
been star at a track meet."

"Good Heavens," Donaldson said still again.

"They're all scattered around now," Abe explained to him. "Either that
or their tongues are hanging out to the point they'll have to take five
to have a beer. They're finished for a while."

Isobel finished her little talk and joined them. "What gives now?" she
asked.

Rex Donaldson said, "I'd like to stay around and watch you chaps
operate. It's fascinating. However, I'd better get over to the park.
That's probably where the grea