on, Abd-el-Kader. From your
report, the man was evidently attempting to unify the tribes."

Crawford was shaking his head impatiently. "No. He didn't have
the ... dream. He was a raider, a racketeer, not a leader of purposeful
men. Perhaps it's true that these people need a hero to act as a symbol
for them, but he can't be such as Abd-el-Kader."

"I suppose you're right," the Swede said grudgingly. "See here, have you
heard reports of a group of Cubans, in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan to help
with the new sugar refining there, being attacked?"

The eyes of both Crawford and Baker narrowed. There'd been talk about
this at Timbuktu. "Only a few rumors," Crawford said.

The Swede drummed his desk with his nervous fingers. "The rumors are
correct. The whole group was either killed or wounded." He said
suddenly, "You had nothing to do with this, I suppose?"

Crawford held his palms up, in surprise, "My team has never been within
a thousand miles of Khartoum."

Zetterberg said, "See here, we suspect the Cubans might have supported
Soviet Complex viewpoints."

Crawford shrugged, "I know nothing about them at all."

Zetterberg said, "Do you think this might be the work of El Hassan and
his followers?"

Abe started to chuckle something, but Homer shook his head slightly in
warning and said, "I don't know."

"How did that affair in Mopti turn out, these riots in favor of El
Hassan?"

Homer Crawford shrugged. "Routine. Must have been as many as ten
thousand of them at one point. We used standard tactics in gaining
control and then dispersing them. I'll have a complete written report to
you before the day is out."

Zetterberg said, "You've heard about this El Hassan before?"

"Quite a bit."

"From the rumors that have come into this office, he backs neither East
nor West in international politics. He also seems to agree with your
summation of the Islamic problem. He teaches separation of Church and
State."

"They're the same thing in Moslem countries," Abe muttered.

Zetterberg tossed his bombshell out of a clear sky. "Dr. Crawford," he
snapped, "in spite of the warnings we've had to issue to you repeatedly,
you are admittedly our best man in the field. We're giving you a new
assignment. Find this El Hassan and bring him here!"

Zetterberg leaned forward, an expression of somewhat anxious sincerity
in his whole demeanor.

VIII

Abe Baker choked, and then suddenly laughed.

Sven Zetterberg stared at hi