Red Planet by Robert A. Heinlein

will submit a written request on the approved form and will obtain a key to the communications booth at the main office.
    7. The student council is dissolved. Student government will be resumed only if and when the behaviour of the student body justifies it.
    (signed) M. Howe, Headmaster
    Jim whistled. Frank said, ‘Would you look at that, Jim? Dissolving the Student Council—imagine that! Do you suppose we have to get permission to scratch? What does he take us for?’
    'Search me. Frank, I haven't got a shirt.’
    'Well, I can lend you a sweat shirt until you can buy some. But take a look at paragraph three—you'd better get busy.’
    'Huh? What about it?’ Jim reread it.
    'You'd better go butter up the bio teacher, so you can make some arrangements for Willis.’
    'What?’ Jim simply had not connected the injunction concerning pets with Willis; he did not think of Willis as a pet. ‘Oh, I can't do that, Frank. He'd be terribly unhappy.’
    'Then you had better ship him home and let your folks care for him.’
    Jim looked balky. ‘I won't do it. I won't!’
    'Then what are you going to do?’
    'I don't know.’ He thought about it. ‘I won't do anything about it. I'll just keep him under cover. Howe doesn't even know I've got him.’
    'Well ... you might get away with it, so long as nobody snitches on you.’
    'I don't think any of the fellows would do that.’
    They went back to their room and attempted to remove the decorations from their masks. They were not very successful; the paint had bitten into the plastic and they succeeded only in smearing the colours around. Presently a student named Smythe stuck his head in the door. ‘Clean up your masks for you?’
    'Huh? It can't be done; the colours have soaked in.’
    'You're the umpteenth to find that out. But, from the goodness of my heart and a willingness to be of public service, I will paint your mask over to match the original shade—at a quarter credit per mask.’
    'I thought there was a catch in it,’ Jim answered.
    'Do you want it, or don't you? Hurry up, my public is waiting.’
    'Smitty, you would sell tickets to your grandmother's funeral.’ Jim produced a quarter credit.
    'That's an idea. How much do you think I could charge?’
    The other boy produced a can of lacquer and a brush, rapidly painted out Jim's proud design, using a pigment that was a fair match for the olive-drab original shade. ‘There. It'll dry in a couple of minutes. How about you, Sutton?’
    'Okay, bloodsucker,’ Frank agreed.
    'Is that any way to talk about your benefactor? I've got a heavy date over on the girls’ side and here I am spending my precious Saturday helping you out.’ Smythe made equally rapid work of Frank's mask.
    'Spending your time raising money for your date, you mean,’ amended Jim. ‘Smitty, what do you think of these trick rules the new Head has thought up? Should we knuckle under, or make a squawk?’
    'Squawk? What for?’ Smythe gathered up his tools. ‘There's a brand-new business opportunity in each one, if you only had the wit to see it. When in doubt, come see Smythe—special services at all hours.’ He paused at the door. ‘Don't mention that deal about tickets to my grandmother's funeral; she'd want a cut on it before she kicks off. Granny is a very shrewd gal with a credit.’
    'Frank,’ remarked Jim when Smythe was gone, ‘there is something about that guy I don't like.’
    Frank shrugged. ‘He fixed us up. Let's check in and get off the punishment list.’
    'Right. He reminds me of something Doc used to say. Every law that was ever written opened up a new way to graft.’
    'That's not necessarily so. Come on.’
    They found a long line waiting outside the Headmaster's office. They were finally ushered in in groups of ten. Howe gave their masks a brief glance each, then started in to lecture. ‘I hope that this will be a lesson to you young gentlemen not only in neatness, but in alertness. Had you noticed what was posted on the