"Roger," she said, climbing first into the back of the vehicle and then
up onto the roof of the cab.
Isobel held her hands high above her head and in the cab Abe bore down
on the horn for a long moment.
Isobel shrilled, "Hear what the messenger from El Hassan has come to
tell us! Hear the friend and devoted follower of El Hassan!"
At the same time, Jake, Kenny, and Cliff discontinued their own
harangues and themselves headed for the new speaker.
* * * * *
They stayed for three days and had it well wrapped up in that time. The
tribesmen, bored when the excitement fell away and it became obvious
that there were to be no further riots, and certainly no violence,
drifted back to their villages. The city dwellers returned to the
routine of daily existence. And the police, who had mysteriously
disappeared from the streets at the height of the demonstrations, now
magically reappeared and began asserting their authority somewhat
truculently.
At the hall meetings, mighty slogans were drafted and endless committees
formed. The more articulate, the more educated and able of the
demonstrators were marked out for future reference, but for the moment
given meaningless tasks to keep them busy and out of trouble.
On the fourth day, Homer Crawford received orders to proceed to Dakar,
leaving the rest of the team behind to keep an eye on the situation.
Abe groaned, "There's luck for you. Dakar, nearest thing to a good old
sin city in a thousand miles. And who gets to go? Old sour puss, here.
Got no more interest in the hot spots--"