19. The Big Switcheroo

CHAPTER 19 THE BIG SWITCHEROO Klax returned with a carton of Super Evil Rapid-Growth Juice, and placed it on the control panel. "Soon," said Jennifer, "Earth will be OURS!" The three aliens threw back their heads and laughed and laughed. Suddenly, George got an idea.

He whispered to Harold for a second or two, then he quietly reached through the bars of the jail cell and swiped Klax's carton of Super Evil Rapid-Growth Juice.

George carefully peeled the label off the carton, and stuck it over the label of his Ultra Nasty Self-Destruct Juice. While he was busy doing that, Harold reached through the bars and switched the labels of the spray gun and the fuel tank.

Finally, George reached back through the bars and put his carton of Ultra Nasty Self-Destruct Juice (which now read Super Evil Rapid-Growth Juice) on the control panel. "I don't get it," whispered Captain Underpants. "The fuel tank now says SPRAY GUN, and the spray gun now says FUEL TANK, and the rapid-growth juice has been replaced with self-destruct juice.... What's it all mean?" "You'll find out," said Harold, sadly.

When the three evil space guys had finished laughing triumphantly, Jennifer reached for the carton that read Super Evil Rapid-Growth Juice and poured it into the nozzle that read SPRAY GUN. "Oh, I get it," said Captain Underpants. "That space guy didn't pour growth juice into the spray gun—he poured self- destruct juice into the fuel tank!" "Yep," George said sadly. "And that means this spaceship thingy is going to explode into millions of pieces!" "Right," said Harold gloomily.

The spaceship began to sputter and shake as smoke billowed out of the control panels. Soon sparks were flying and ceiling tiles were falling. Captain Underpants smiled proudly because he had figured out George's plan. But his smile didn't last long. "Hey," he cried. "WE'RE in the spaceship thingy! What's gonna happen to us?" "We had to sacrifice ourselves to save the world," said George. "I'm afraid we're not going to make it." "Of course we'll make it," cried Captain Underpants. "We've got Wedgie Power on our side!"