Chapter 25

25 GENIUS!" SAYS EDISON, PEDALING HIS TENSPEED MOUNTAIN BIKE hard to keep up with Mr. Chimp. Mr. Chimp raises one eyebrow. "Today the town of Midville is ours. Tomorrow... the world." Mr. Chimp powerfully and effortlessly pedals his custom chimp-size racing bike.

"We are about to be richer than anyone can imagine. I will build the biggest, best, most amazing laboratory in the world," says Edison. "How about you, Mr. Chimp? What will you do with your share of the money?" Mr. Chimp glides downhill and thinks about that. He rides no-handed and signs:

"What?" says Edison. "That's it?" Mr. Chimp stares at Edison. He adds: T. Edison doesn't know what to think of that. It doesn't make any sense to him. So he just ignores it. T. Edison and Mr. Chimp wheel into the Edison estate, under the stone entrance arch, down the driveway lined with sugar maple

trees, and up to the grand Edison mansion. They drop their bikes on the perfectly trimmed front lawn and walk through the massive oak double doors. "Oh, there you are, sweetie," says Edison's mother. "Please don't call me that in front of my workers, Mom." "Call you what?" "That thing you said." "What did I say, sweetie?" "That," says Edison out of the side of his mouth. "Don't call me 'sweetie.' My workers won't respect me." "Oh, no one cares that I call you 'sweetie,'" says Mrs. Edison. "And this is not your worker. This is your Mr. Chimpy Wimpy." "And do not call him that!" "You named him." "When I was two years old!" "Oh, stop with all your fussing, sweetie."

Mr. Chimp laughs a panting little "Heh heh-heh." "See?" whines Edison. "Well, never mind. I just wanted to tell you that the funny new red light on your desk has been blinking, and some kind of horn has been honking." Edison's eyes open wide. "My Hydroelectric Turbine warning?" "If that's what you call it..." "That only triggers when the turbine stops!" Mr. Chimp signs: