Crawford nodded. "That's obviously the ticket. By that time you should be in New York, with an office opened."
Jake rubbed a black hand over his cheek as though checking his morning shave. "It's going to take some money to get started. Once started I can depend on contributions, perhaps, but at first...."
Homer interrupted with, "Cliff, you're Minister of the Treasury. Raise some money."
"Eh?" Cliff Jackson said blankly. The king-size, easy-going Californian looked more like the early Joe Louis than ever.
Everybody laughed. Elmer Allen came forth with his wallet and began pulling out such notes as it contained. "I don't know what we'd be doing with this in the desert," he said.
Isobel said, "I have almost three thousand dollars in a checking account in New York. Let's see if I have my checkbook here."
The others were going through their pockets. As bank notes in British pounds, American dollars, French francs and Common Europe marks emerged they were tossed to the center of the small table which wobbled on three legs in the middle of the room.
Elmer Allen said, "I have an account with the Bank of Jamaica in Kingston. About four hundred pounds, I think. I'll have it transferred."
Cliff took up the money and began counting it, making notations on a notebook pad as he went.
Bey said, "We're only going to be able to give Jake part of this."