When school was out, the young Kentons and Randy reported to the science-building office, where Dr. Kenton was waiting for them.
“Did you get your assignment?” Jill asked.
“Yes,” he replied. “I’ll be leaving you in a few days. We’re going on an expedition to Hellespontus, where some mysterious fossils have been discovered. They may be bones of the ancient Martians. If so, they could solve the baffling riddle of what happened to those remarkable canal builders.”
After getting into space clothes, they went to their boat and started homeward. As they approached their isolated house at the end of the winding watercourse, Ted rose in his seat and pointed.
“Look!” he exclaimed. “There’s the color bear again!”
Sure enough, seated on the front doorstep, as though waiting for them to return, was the little Martian animal they had rescued the night before.
“Isn’t he the cutest thing!” exclaimed Jill, as she saw the red-white-and-blue creature.
“I thought we were rid of him,” Dr. Kenton groaned.
He brought the boat to the end of the waterway and tied it up. The children leaped out and ran to the bear, who climbed to his chubby feet to greet them. He licked the suits of Ted and Randy but merely stared at Jill and Dr. Kenton.
“It looks like we just can’t get rid of him,” Ted said, renewing his hope for possession of the animal.
“Oh, Father, can’t we keep him?” Jill pleaded, stroking the color bear.
Randy patted the little round head, and the bear made a sort of purring, contented sound as the children fondled him.
Dr. Kenton threw up his hands helplessly. “I guess I know when I’m licked!” he burst out. “If Mother agrees, we’ll try and keep him. But you kids will have to attend to him yourselves, and mind you keep him out of the sand bog, or you won’t have him long.”
“We will!” Jill said. Now that she had made friends with the bear, he seemed ready to accept her and licked her suit as a sign of friendship.
Randy stayed outside with the bear while the other children went inside to talk persuasively with their mother. She objected at first, but finally yielded to their persistence.
“We’ll have to make out a requisition for plastic material for his outdoor house,” Dr. Kenton said. “Are you children willing to chip in part of your allowance to pay for it?”