pilot shifted his heavy shoulders again.

Jake said, "Nobody seems to know, but the weapons were modern. Plenty
modern." He twisted in his bucket seat, uncomfortably. "Listen, have you
heard anything about some character named El Hassan?"

Isobel turned to face him. "Why, yes. The people there in Gao mentioned
him. Who is he?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Jake said. "What did they say?"

"Oh, mostly supposed words of wisdom that El Hassan was alleged to have
made with. I get it that he's some, well you wouldn't call him a
nationalist since he's international in his appeal, but he's evidently
preaching union of all Africans. I get an undercurrent of
anti-Europeanism in general, but not overdone." Isobel's expressive face
went thoughtful. "As a matter of fact, his program seems to coincide
largely with our own, so much so that from time to time when I had
occasion to drop a few words of propaganda into a conversation, I'd
sometimes credit it to him."

Cliff looked over at her and chuckled. "That's a coincidence," he said.
"I've been doing the same thing. An idea often carries more weight with
these people if it's attributed to somebody with a reputation."

Jake, the older of the three said: "Well, I can't find out anything
about him. Nobody seems to know if he's an Egyptian, a Nigerian, a
MOR ... or an Eskimo, for that matter."

"Did you check with headquarters?"

"So far they have nothing on him, except for some other inquiries from
field workers."

Below them, the river was widening out to the point where it resembled
swampland more than a waterway. There were large numbers of waterbirds,
and occasional herds of hippopotami. Isobel didn't express her thoughts,
but a moment of doubt hit her. What would all this be like when the dams
were finished, the waters of this third largest of Africa's rivers,
ninth largest of the world's, under control?

She pointed. "There's Kabara." The age-old river port lay below them.
Cliff slapped one of his controls with the heel of his hand and the
craft began to sink earthward.

* * * * *

They took up quarters in the new hotel which adjoined the new elementary
school, and Isobel immediately went into her routine.

Dressed and shod immaculately, her head held high in confidence, she
spent considerable time mingling with the more backward of the natives
and especially the women. Six months ago, she had given a performance
similar to that