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

‘Do you know what I think?’
    'No what?’
    'I think he's afraid of you personally.’
    'Me? Why?’
    'Because of what happened last night. There was murder in your eye and he saw it. I think he wants to pull your teeth. I don't think he gives a hoot about the rest of us hanging on to our guns.’
    'You really think so? Hmm ... maybe it's a good thing our guns don't happen to be in the armoury at the moment.’
    'The question is: what are you going to do about it?’
    Jim thought about it. ‘I'm not going to give up my gun. Dad wouldn't want me to. I'm sure of that. Anyhow, I'm licensed and I don't have to. I'm a qualified marksman, I've passed the psycho tests, and I've taken the oath; I'm as much entitled to wear a gun as he is.’
    'Okay, I'm with you on it. But we had better think up a wrinkle before you have to go see him this morning.’
    The wrinkle showed up at breakfast—the student named Smythe. Frank spoke to Jim about it in a low voice; together they accosted the student after breakfast and brought him to their room. ‘Look, Smitty,’ began Jim, ‘you're a man with lots of angles, aren't you?’
    'Mmm ... could be. What's up?’
    'You saw that notice this morning?’
    'Sure. Who didn't? Everybody is grousing about it.’
    'Are you going to turn in your gun?’
    'My gun has been in the armoury all along. What do I need a gun for around here? I've got a brain.’
    'In that case you won't be called in about your gun. Now just supposing that you were handed two packages to take care of. You won't open them and you won't know what's in them. Do you think you could find a safe, a really safe place to keep them and still be able to give them back on short notice?’
    'I don't suppose you want me to tell anybody about these, uh, packages?’
    'Nope. Nobody.’
    'Hmm ... this sort of service comes high.’
    'How high?’
    'Well, now, I couldn't afford to do it for less than two credits a week.’
    'That's too much,’ Frank put in sharply.
    'Well—you're friends of mine. I'll make you a flat rate of eight credits for the rest of the year.’
    'Too much.’
    'Six credits then, and I won't go lower. You've got to pay for the risk.’
    'It's a deal,’ Jim said before Frank could bargain further.
    Smythe left with a bundle before Jim reported to the Headmaster's office.

5

    Little Pitchers Have Big Ears

    Headmaster Howe kept Jim waiting thirty minutes before admitting him. When he was finally let in, Jim saw that Howe seemed to be quite pleased with himself. He glanced up. ‘Yes? You asked to see me?’
    'You told me to see you, sir.’
    'I did? Let me see now, what is your name?’
    He darn well knows my name, Jim said savagely to himself; he's trying to get my goat. He recalled Frank's solemn warning not to lose his temper. ‘James Marlowe, sir,’ he answered evenly.
    'Oh, yes. Now, Marlowe, you wanted to see me about something?’
    'You told me to see you. About Willis.’
    'Willis? Oh yes, the Martian roundhead.’ Howe smiled with his lips. ‘An interesting scientific specimen.’
    Howe added nothing more. The silence kept up so long that Jim began to realize that the Headmaster intended to force him to make any moves. Jim had already resigned himself to the idea that it would be impossible to keep Willis at the school any longer. He said, ‘I've come to get him. I'm going to take him out in town and arrange to send him home.’
    Howe smiled more broadly. ‘Oh, you are? And pray tell me how you are going to do that when you are restricted to the school for the next thirty days?’
    Frank was still warning him; Jim could almost hear him. He answered, ‘All right, sir, I'll get somebody to do it for me—today. Now, please, can I have Willis?’
    Howe leaned back and crossed his fingers over his stomach. ‘You bring up a most interesting point, Marlowe. You said last night that this creature is not a pet.’
    Jim was puzzled. ‘Yes?’
    'You were quite emphatic about it. You said that he wasn't your