the most
conservative of the Tuareg leaders."

Her eyebrows went up. "And you expect to bring him around to the most
liberal scheme to hit North Africa since Hannibal?"

He looked at her from the side of his eyes and grinned. "Remember
Roosevelt, the American president?"

"Hardly."

"Well, you've read about him. He came into office at a time when the
country was going to economic pot by the minute. Some of the measures
he and his so-called brain trust took were immediately hailed by his
enemies as socialistic. In answer, Roosevelt told them that in times
of social stress the true conservative is a liberal, since to
preserve, you have to reform. If Roosevelt hadn't done the things he
did, back in the 1930s, you probably would have seen some _real_
changes in the American socio-economic system. Roosevelt didn't
undermine the social system of the time, he preserved it."

"Then, according to you, Roosevelt was a conservative," she said
mockingly.

Crawford laughed. "I'll go even further," he said. "When social
changes are pending and for whatever reason are not brought about,
then reaction is the inevitable alternative. At such a time then--when
sweeping socio-economic change is called for--any reform measures
proposed are concealed measures of reaction, since they tend to
maintain the _status quo_."

"Holy Mackerel," Cliff protested. "Accept that and Roosevelt was not
only not a liberal, but a reactionary. Stop tearing down my childhood
heroes."

Isobel said, "Let's get back to this Amenokal guy. You think he's
smart enough to see his only chance is in going along with ..."

Homer Crawford pointed ahead and a little to the right. "We'll soon
find out. This is a favorite encampment of his. With luck, he'll be
there. If we can win him over, we've come a long way."

"And if we can't?" Isobel said, her eyebrows raised again.

"Then it's unfortunate that there are only three of us," Homer said
simply, without looking at her.

There were possibly no more than a hundred Tuareg in all in the nomad
encampment of goat leather tents when the solar powered hovercraft
drew up.

[Illustration]

When the air cushion vehicle stopped before the largest tent, Crawford
said beneath his breath, "The Amenokal is here, all right. Cliff,
watch your teguelmoust. If any of these people see more than your
eyes, your standing has dropped to a contemptible zero."

The husky Californian secured the lightweight cotton, combination