SOME FUNKY ANSWERS
When the gang left the Burger Castle, they were stunned to see that construction of the volcano in the empty lot across the street had started. They stood and watched as Harold, using a remote-controlled robotic arm, built a giant frame of wooden boards.
“Wow, that’s pretty cool, Harold,” called out Freddy across the street.
Harold turned around and smiled. “Hey, thanks, Freddy.”
Suddenly Adam popped up from a lounge chair. He had a super large milkshake in one hand and a huge hamburger in the other. “Hey, no talking to the enemy, Pumpernickel,” he yelled. Harold looked afraid.
“I’m sorry, Adam.”
“Hey, hey, what did we talk about, Pumperhead?” demanded Adam.
“Um, I mean, Captain Spanker,” Harold said, glancing nervously at Freddy.
“You wanna give up right now, Freako?” said Adam with a loud snort. “Because you’re not going to be able to beat the volcano.”
“Oh, yeah, you just wait and see what we’re building,” called out Si.
“Yeahjustwaitandsee.Uhwhatexactlyarewe-building, Freddy?” mumbled Curly.
“Atta boy, Curly, you tell him,” called out Si, slapping the green Fry on the back. “Even though I have no idea what you just said, I’m sure it was kick-butt stuff.”
“You dopes don’t have a clue. You’re all losers,” said Adam nastily.
“Just give me the word and I’ll eat Adam for you, Freddy,” said Wally. “Even if he’ll give me really bad gas.”
“The best thing we can do,” said Freddy, “is beat him in the competition.” He held up the logbook. “Come on, let’s go see my dad.”
Alfred Funkhouser was inside the farmhouse working on something when Freddy and the gang arrived.
Alfred pointed at the old logbook Freddy was carrying. “What’s that, son?”
Freddy quickly showed the plans to his father, who started rubbing his chin with his hand, a sure sign his brain was in super-thinking mode.
“Where did you get these plans, Freddy?” he asked, looking at the name “Silas Finklebean” on the logbook’s cover.
Freddy was ready for this. “It was the librarian in town. She knew Silas Finklebean when she was very young. She found this book on the shelf. He must have donated it or something.”
“That’s funny, because it doesn’t have a library card on the back page,” said his father.
Thinking quickly, Freddy said, “Well, it must have come from some special collection. She said no one had ever checked it out before.”
“I see,” said Alfred Funkhouser.
“So what’s your considered opinion, Mr. Funkhouser?” asked Theodore.
“Yeah, Mr. F, let’s have the quick down-and-dirty from that big old noggin of yours,” said Si.
“Well, judging from the drawings and the notations at the bottom of each page, which include standard descriptions of quantum theory, black holes, wormholes, and string theory that serve as the very backbone of the interconnectedness of the entire universe —”
“Me love worms!” shouted Wally.
Alfred smiled. “They’re not those sorts of worms. Anyway, Freddy, to answer your question, I’d say this was a time travel machine.”
“Time travel machine!” exclaimed Freddy.
“Yes. But it’s very curious. The dates in this book are from long ago. Mr. Finklebean must have been a man very much ahead of his time. String theory, for instance, is a fairly recent discovery. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of him. Who is he?”
“Just some guy,” said Freddy mysteriously.
“Well, he was obviously very brilliant.”
Freddy took back the logbook.
“What are you going to do with it, Freddy?” asked his father.
“Oh, nothing.” But under his breath Freddy muttered, “I’m going to beat a volcano, that’s what.”