y in a thousand miles. And who gets to go? Old sour puss, here.
Got no more interest in the hot spots--"

Homer said, "You can come along, Abe."

Kenny Ballalou said, "Orders were only you, Homer."

Crawford growled, "Yes, but I have a suspicion I'm being called on the
carpet for one of our recent escapades and I want backing if I need it."
He added, "Besides, nothing is going to happen here."

"Crazy man," Abe said appreciatively.

Jake said, "We three were planning to head for Dakar today ourselves.
Isobel, in particular, is exhausted and needs a prolonged rest before
going out among the natives any more. You might as well continue to let
us supply your transportation."

"Fine," Homer told him. "Come on Abe, let's get our things together."

"What do we do while you chaps are gone?" Elmer Allen said sourly. "I
wouldn't mind a period in a city myself."

"Read a book, man," Abe told him. "Improve your mind."

"I've read a book," Elmer said glumly. "Any other ideas?"

* * * * *

Dakar is a big, bustling, prosperous and modern city shockingly set down
in the middle of the poverty that is Africa. It should be, by its
appearance, on the French Riviera, on the California coast, or possibly
that of Florida, but it isn't. It's in Senegal, in the area once known
as French West Africa.

Their aircraft swept in and landed at the busy airport.

They were assigned an African Development Project air-cushion car and
drove into the city proper.

Dakar boasts some of the few skyscrapers in all Africa. The Reunited
Nations occupied one of these in its entirety. Dakar was the center of
activities for the whole Western Sahara and down into the Sudan. Across
the street from its offices, a street still named Rue des Resistance in
spite of the fact that the French were long gone, was the Hotel
Juan-les-Pins.

[Illustration]

Crawford and Abe Baker had radioed ahead and accommodations were ready
for them. Their western clothing and other gear had been brought up from
storage in the cellar.

At the desk, the clerk didn't blink at the Tuareg costume the two still
wore. This was commonplace. He probably wouldn't have blinked had Isobel
arrived in the costume of the Dogon. "Your suite is ready, Dr.
Crawford," he said.

The manager came up and shook hands with an old customer and Homer
Crawford introduced him to Isobel, Jake and Cliff, requesting he do his
best for them. He and Abe then made the