Ch 5- "Little Pitches Have Big Ears"

• So now in Red Planet, we are starting to find out how sneaky Head Master Howe is. As you know, Howe has taken Willis away from Jim. The next morning, Jim goes to Howe's office as he told him to do so. When Jim arrives, Howe acts as if he doesnt even know who Jim is. Howe had came up with this deceiving plan on a way to keep Willis. It is a rule at the school that you cannot keep pets in your living areas, but the night before, Jim clearly stated that Willis is not his "pet" but his friend. Howe uses this against him hardly! Howe tells Jim that if Willis is not his pet then Jim truly has no claim for him and that Howe just says that he can use the point that he just found Willis at the school since Willis "belongs" to no one. Jim is absolutely furious but there is really nothing that he can do.
• That night, Frank is awakened by someone scrambling around in the room. He flips on the light and notices that Jim is leaving. Frank jumps up and asks what he is planning to do. Jim tells him that he is going to go break into Howes office and rescue Willis. He knows that is where Howe is keeping him. Frank ends up going with him. Robbery and crime in general is not a common thing at all on Mars, so locks are rarely used. For some reason though, Howes office is locked, but Frank breaks the lock with him pocket knife. The boys get in. They look everywhere for possible places that Willis could be. Then they come across this room that is lock with a huge padlock that would normally be used on a very large safe protecting something very important. The lock is impossible to pick. Frank wants to give up but Jim refuses. He is not leaving without Willis. The boys look all around looking for a way to get into this locked room...nothing. Jim whispers for Willis. After a few moments, Willis cries for Jim. Both of the boys are releived to know that Willis is ok. While Jim and Frank still try to look for a way in, they hear this almost cutting sound. As the sound keeps going, it gets more and more clear. Willis was cutting through the wall to get out to Jim. After a few minutes, a hole appears in the wall and their is Willis standing there with this knife like thing sticking out of the side of his body. It almost disappears back into his body and fur quickly grows over the hole to cover it as if it were never even there. One thing Jim definitally didnt know Willis could do. Soon Jim learns that Willis can also change shape. He forms into a watermelon shape and squeezes through the hole.
• After getting Willis back to the boys living areas, Willis starts repeating a very important conversation between Howe and the Resident Agent General. Howe shows Willis to the General and he is absolutely amazed. The General then tells Howe that Willis would be worth at least 70,000 credits (Mars money, a lot more than earth money) to the London zoo back on earth. The General asks Howe where he found Willis and he tells him that he took him from a student. The General wonders if the student would be willing to sell Willis to them. Howe firmly says he wont. Thats when Howe discusses this plan to get Willis from the student for free. He tells the General about the pet thing and how Willis technically belongs to no one.
• On mars, everyone migrates for the winter because winter is too cold to be able to survive. Willis starts going on in the conversation between Howe and the General about how Howe is planning to make a non-migration policy and that he is going to keep putting off sending all of the students home until the policy takes effect. Then all of the students at that school will be forbidden to go home!!!