THE SPANKER SWITCHEROO
Late that night Freddy, Howie, and the Fries snuck back to the Burger Castle after it had closed. Howie and Freddy put on dark outfits and covered their faces with masks. Then the two boys put on their Red Rocket tennis shoes.
“We look like burglars,” said Howie.
Wally said nervously, “Burglars?”
Theodore answered, “Yes. Felonious types who pursue their malfeasance on an unsuspecting public.”
Wally looked relieved. “Whew, and here I was thinking they were bad guys who stole from people.”
“Okay, guys, here’s the plan,” said Freddy as he handed walkie-talkies to all of them. They huddled together.
A few minutes later Freddy and Howie slipped out from the bushes around the Burger Castle and headed across the street to the Patty Cakes. They reached the parking lot of Patty Cakes and then hit the ground well away from the completed volcano that now towered over the restaurant, huge and scary.
Freddy pulled out a pair of binoculars and looked around. He saw two of Adam’s gang guarding the volcano. Freddy looked at Howie next to him. “Okay, time for the diversionary tactic.” He spoke into his walkie-talkie. “Ready, guys?” said Freddy.
“READY!” said a voice back.
“Go!” said Freddy.
A minute later down the street came Theodore dressed in a top hat and a red jumper suit, with big black boots. He carried a baton that he was twirling. Under his top hat was a small CD player. When Theodore touched the top button of his red jumper suit, loud marching band music started playing.
Behind Theodore was Wally dressed up as a very large clown, holding a rope. At the end of that rope floated Si and Meese. They had held their breaths, which caused a chemical reaction in their bodies, producing helium.
Behind them came Curly, who was wearing a very long shirt and had risen twenty feet up into the air, as though he were on stilts. He was tossing something into the air and then catching it. It was Ziggy, made up and painted to look like a volleyball. Ziggy screamed with laughter every time he went sailing up in the air.
Adam’s two guards looked over at all the commotion.
“Wow,” said one of them, “It’s a parade. Come on!”
“Wait a minute,” said the other boy. “Whoever heard of a parade at night?”
Right then Theodore called out loudly, “All right, everyone, let’s have a good practice for the real parade tomorrow. But we really need some volunteers to test our super special tricks with.”
The two boys looked at each other. “Super special tricks!” they exclaimed together. When they raced away to join the practice parade, Freddy and Howie jumped up.
“Okay, engage Red Rocket tennis shoes,” instructed Freddy.
Both Freddy and Howie clicked the red tennis shoes they were wearing.
VRROOMM! They shot across the street and up the sides of the volcano, disappearing into the opening. They clicked their shoes again and stopped.
“Wow,” said Howie, catching his breath, “Can I use these shoes when I run track?”
“That would be cheating, Howie.”
“I know that, so what’s your point?”
Freddy examined the machinery that would make the volcano erupt. “Okay, it’s just like Harold said, an ACME Turbo Booster 3000 with the special option package.” He studied the directional control and the instructions contained in a small sign over it. “According to the instructions, I just have to turn the control knob forty-five degrees counterclockwise to aim it where I want it.” Freddy turned the knob. “There, that should do it.”
“You have it pointed at the Patty Cakes restaurant so it’ll get creamed, right?” said Howie.
“No, I set it so it’ll just shoot straight up and then down the sides of the volcano like it was supposed to.”
“But Adam was going to cover the Burger Castle in goop, so why not get him back?”
“You remember what Adam said; he’ll blame Harold.”
“Good point.”
“Okay, it’s all set. Make sure the coast is clear.”
Howie peered over the lip of the volcano.
“Oh, my gosh!” he exclaimed.
“What?” said Freddy.
“Look!”
Curly was tossing one of Adam’s gang into the air. The other kid was being held upside down by the floating Si and Meese. Apparently both boys were having a ball, because even from here Howie and Freddy could hear them laughing.
“The Fries sure know how to have a good time,” said Freddy, smiling. “Okay, engage Red Rocket tennis shoes.”
They clicked their heels together.
VVRROOMM! They shot out of the volcano, down the sides, and across the street in a matter of seconds.
When they were safely back at the Burger Castle, Howie said, “Aw, come on, Freddy. Let me wear these on the track team, please!”
“No, Howie.” Freddy pulled out his walkie-talkie and spoke into it. “Okay, mission accomplished. Cease diversionary tactic.”
The Fries played with the boys for a little bit longer and then marched back down the street. They joined Howie and Freddy right after that while the gang members went back to guard the volcano.
“Thanks, guys,” said Freddy. “It worked to perfection.”
But after they left, Adam Spanker came out of hiding near the volcano and told his gang members to go home. He climbed into the mouth of the volcano and looked at the instructions to aim the eruption. “Funky, when this baby blows, you and the Burger Dump are history.”
