Chapter 16

16 THE CROWD KEEPS CLAPPING AND CHEERING. T. Edison tries to smile, but it looks like it is hurting his face. He peeks backstage. While no one is looking, he signs instructions to Mr. Chimp, who is hidden in the shadows. Mr. Chimp nods and gets to work, fiddling with something inside the electric elephant. "Very impressive," Edison's voice booms through the movie speakers, drowning out the clapping and the cheering. "But I am still very concerned about safety."

"You saw it for yourself. It works safely," says Watson. Edison nods. He checks to see Mr. Chimp crossing two particular wires, with no one noticing him, and signing back: Now T. Edison smiles for real. "Yes, yes. Your Finger Thing lit one lightbulb. But what if it had to do more work? With more electricity? Wouldn't it be more dangerous?" "Not at all," says Frank. "Well," says Edison, "if you're so sure, it shouldn't be a problem for you to power dear Topsy, our beloved Midville elephant." Frank and Watson exchange a glance. They both wonder what Edison might be up to.

"Give it the Electro-Finger!" yells Charlie the postman. "Yeah, do that!" adds Fireman Chad. "OK," says Frank Einstein. "That should be simple enough." Frank sets the Electro-Finger on LOW, aims it at the model elephant, and presses the button. Slowly the elephant begins to raise its trunk. Frank increases the power. The elephant shakes its head and flaps its ears. Watson nods and smiles. In the shadows, Klank bangs his monkey- wrench hand on the side of his metal body as Frank gives Topsy full Electro-Finger power. The mechanical elephant raises its trunk and trumpets. Janegoodall starts the crowd clapping and cheering again. And that is when a faint wisp of smoke starts leaking out Topsy's left ear.

Edison points at the smoke so the crowd doesn't miss it. "Oh no!" Edison calls, in fake alarm. Frank quickly shuts down the Electro- Finger. But Topsy smokes out both ears now. She twitches. She shakes. "Make it stop!" someone in the crowd yells. Frank holds up the Electro-Finger to show that it's off, but no one sees. All eyes are on Topsy. The elephant shakes and shudders. She smokes and convulses. In one last burst of smoke and a twitch, she tips over and falls with a resounding THUD. "Einstein's Electro-Finger electrocuted Topsy!" someone screams. "That invention is a death machine!" "Oh my!" "AIEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Someone throws a Fall Festival gourd, and it splatters wetly onstage.

Klank grabs Klink and from out of the shadows jumps to protect Frank and Watson. "Frank Einstein is good! The Electro- Finger is a good invention! I will give you all hugs!" Klank extends his flexible metal arms. "Oh no," says Watson, more to himself than to anyone else. "That does not look good."

"Killer robots, too?!" another hysterical voice screams. A small orange pumpkin bounces off Klank and splits in half, dripping its stringy pumpkin guts. "Frank Einstein is creating monsters!" yells someone who sounds exactly like T. Edison trying to disguise his voice. "No, wait—" Frank starts to explain. But then the crowd starts taking apart the rest of the Fall Festival display and moving toward the stage. Janegoodall understands the dangerous power of the crowd mind. She runs toward the backstage exit and calls out to her friends, "Follow me, NOW!" Frank, Watson, Klink, and Klank follow Janegoodall. The crowd of angry Midville villagers swarms after them, shaking pitchforks and lifting burning torches, calling, "Frank Einstein