Chapter 4

4 FRANK CONTINUES, "AND SO TESLA FIGURED OUT THAT THERE might be a way to supply electricity, without wires, to anyone, anywhere in the world, much more cheaply than any power company could." "Best thing since sliced bread," says Grampa Al. "You boys get crackin' on that wireless idea. I'm going to get my contraption spinning."

Grampa Al picks up his windmill pieces from the roof rubble and heads out the lab door. Frank, Klink, and Klank clean up the rest of the mess. "Watson," says Frank, "experiment time. Could you go into the kitchen and get one balloon, two packets of salt, three packets of pepper, and one plastic spoon?" "That sounds about as scientific as... my peashooter," says Watson, heading for the kitchen as Frank and the robots finish cleaning up the lab. Watson returns with the experiment supplies. "I can't wait to see what you make with this." Frank rips open the salt and pepper packets and dumps everything into one pile on the table. He blows up the balloon. "Rub this on your head, Watson."

Watson rubs the balloon on his head. "Oh, this is much more scientific." "Just watch," says Frank. "Now put the balloon over the salt and pepper." Watson moves the balloon. The positively charged, lighter pieces of pepper separate from the heavier pieces of salt and stick to the balloon. "Wireless," says Frank. "And cheap. Now watch this." Frank rubs the plastic spoon on Watson's sweater. He turns the water on in the lab sink so that

a small, steady stream flows out. "Observe." Frank puts the spoon near the water column. "No way!" says Watson. "The water is bending toward the spoon!" Klink beeps, "In both cases, extra negative charge caused by gathering electrons... attracts positively charged pepper pieces and water

stream." "How amazing would it be if energy were wireless? And free?" says Frank. "My energy will be wireless electricity," says Klink. "My energy will be Robot Boogie sound," says Klank. "My energy will be Watson's Perfect Peashooter," says Watson. Rrrraaarrrrrrrrrrh! roars the DimetrodonPhone in Grampa Al's kitchen. Rrrraaarrrrrrrh!