Read Online Red Planet by Robert A. Heinlein - Free Book Online

of the curious-looking, fuzzy sphere in front of him.
    'And what is Willis, may I ask?’
    'Well, he's a ... a bouncer. A sort of a Martian.’ Willis picked this moment to finish the selection, breathe a liquid contralto buenas noches, and shut up—for the moment.
    'A bouncer? I've never heard of one.’
    'Well, not very many have seen one, even among the colonists. They're scarce.’
    'Not scarce enough. Sort of a Martian parrot, I assume.’
    'Oh, no!’
    'What do you mean, Oh, no?’
    'He's not a bit like a parrot. He talks, he thinks—he's my friend!’
    Howe was over his surprise and recalling the purpose of his visit. ‘All that is beside the point. You saw my order about pets?’
    'Yes, but Willis is not a pet.’
    'What is he, then?’
    'Well, he can't be a pet. Pets are animals; they're property. Willis isn't property; he's—well, he's just Willis.’
    Willis picked this time to continue with the next thing he had heard after the last playing of the tango. ‘Boy, when I hear that music,’ he remarked in Jim's voice, ‘I don't even remember that old no-good Howe.’
    'I can't forget him,’ Willis went on in Frank's voice. ‘I wish I had had the nerve to tell him off the same time you did, Jim. You know what? I think Howe is nuts, I mean really nuts. I'll bet he was a coward when he was a kid and it's twisted him inside.’
    Howe turned white. Frank's arm-chair psychoanalyzing had hit dead centre. He raised his hand as if to strike, then dropped it again, uncertain what to strike. Willis hastily withdrew all protuberances and became a smooth ball.
    'I say it's a pet,’ he said savagely, when he regained his voice. He scooped Willis up and headed for the door.
    Jim stared after him. ‘Say! Mr Howe—you can't take Willis!’
    The Headmaster turned. ‘Oh, I can't, can't I? You get back to bed. See me in my office in the morning.’
    'If you hurt Willis, I'll ... I'll —’
    'You'll what?’ he paused. ‘Your precious pet won't be hurt. Now you get back in that bed before I thrash you.’ He turned again and left without stopping to see whether or not his order had been carried out.
    Jim stood staring at the closed door, tears streaming down his cheeks, sobs of rage and frustration shaking him. Frank came over and put a hand on him. ‘Jim. Jim, don't take on so. You heard him promise not to hurt Willis. Get back into bed and settle it in the morning. At the very worst you'll have to send Willis home.’
    Jim shook off the hand.
    Frank went on, ‘Don't let him get your goat, fellow; if he gets you angry, you'll do something silly and then he's got you.’
    'I'm already angry.’
    'I know you are and I don't blame you. But you've got to get over it and use your head. He was laying for you—you saw that. No matter what he does or says you've got to keep cool and outsmart him—or he gets you in wrong.’
    'I suppose you're right.’
    'I know I'm right. That's what Doc would say. Now come to bed.’
    Neither one of them got much sleep that night. Toward morning Jim had a nightmare that Howe was a withdrawn Martian whom he was trying to unroll—against his better judgement.
    There was a brand-new notice on the bulletin board at breakfast time. It read:
    IMPORTANT NOTICE
    Hereafter all personal weapons will be kept in the armoury at all times. The office of student armourer is abolished; weapons will be issued by the Headmaster and only when the student concerned is leaving the limits of the school and the adjoining settlement. The practice of wearing sidearms in areas where there is no actual danger from Martian fauna will cease.
    (signed) M. Howe, Headmaster
    Jim and Frank read it together. ‘I don't get it,’ said Jim. ‘Why should he want to take over such a headache? Especially since most of us are licensed?’ All the students usually kept their guns in the armoury, but the student armourer had kept check only on the weapons of those students still trying to win their licences.
    Frank studied it.