“Who — who are you?” Evan stammered again.
“I’m looking for my little blue guys,” the man replied. “I heard there was quite a fuss at the playground. The police said you might be able to help me.”
“Those are your creatures?” Andy cried.
The man nodded. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Professor Eric Crane. From the Science Institute downtown.” He glanced once again around the yard. “Do you have the can?”
“I–I kept it in the garage,” Evan told him. “But how do we know it’s yours? Who are you? Why are you wearing that uniform?”
“Did you really invent those disgusting blue blobs?” Andy demanded.
The man took a few steps toward them. The safety uniform was so big and bulky, he walked awkwardly and slowly.
“Bring me the can, and I’ll explain,” he told them.
Evan obediently brought the plastic can from the garage. He put it into Professor Crane’s gloved hand.
“Those creatures — they got meaner and meaner,” Andy told him. “They got so mean, they ate each other up.”
The professor sighed. “I know,” he said. “That’s why I threw them away. My underwater fighting force was a total failure.”
“Excuse me?” Evan cried. “Fighting force?”
“I developed the blue liquid in my lab,” Professor Crane explained. “It was supposed to be a monster fighting force. For underwater combat. A special army of fighters who would get meaner and meaner, and multiply underwater until they outnumbered the enemy.”
“Cool idea,” Kermit murmured. And then he added, “I guess.”
Professor Crane shrugged. “But it didn’t work. They get too mean. It was a bad experiment.”
He glanced down at the can in his gloved hand. “But I should have been more careful when I tossed the can out. Much more careful.” The professor shook his head. “I spent ten years on this. Ten years and fifty million dollars. All a waste. All a total waste.”
With a bitter sigh, he started to pull the lid off the can.
But he let out a startled cry as Dogface bumped him from behind. The big sheepdog ran hard into Professor Crane — and the Monster Blood can flew out of his hand.
Evan watched it bounce over a low shrub and roll to a stop in Conan’s yard.
“That’s okay,” Evan told him. “It’s empty.”
Professor Crane shrugged and uttered another unhappy sigh. “Ten years…” he murmured. “Ten years…”
Shaking his head, he stomped off. He turned back to them when he reached the driveway. “You won’t tell anyone about this, will you?” he called. “It would be very embarrassing to me if you did.”
“No problem,” Evan replied.
He watched the scientist lumber down the drive. Then Evan turned back to Kermit and Andy.
For some reason, Kermit was giggling.
“What’s so funny?” Evan asked.
Kermit pointed. “Look. Conan came running out. He discovered the Monster Blood can.”
“But it’s empty — isn’t it?” Evan cried. “Isn’t it?”
He started to run toward Conan. But Kermit held him back.
“Kermit — let me go!” Evan demanded. “We have to warn Conan. That stuff is dangerous. If there is any of it left in there, and he opens it—”
“I think there’s a tiny bit left in the can,” Kermit told Evan. “You wanted your revenge — didn’t you? This is perfect. Conan will let the stuff out, and in a few minutes he’ll have bouncing blue blobs to take care of.”
“But — but—” Evan sputtered.
“It’ll be funny,” Andy agreed. “Conan will be terrified. He won’t know what to do with them. They’ll suck up his whole yard. It’s a great revenge, Evan. And it’s harmless. They’ll just eat each other in the end.”
“Meanwhile, Conan will have the most frightening time of his life,” Kermit added gleefully.
“Okay, okay,” Evan agreed. “You’re right. It’s pretty funny. Let’s not warn him.”
“Lunchtime! Come on in, you guys!” Aunt Dee called from the kitchen door.
Evan glanced back as he followed the others into the house. Conan had the blue can in his hands. He popped open the lid.
Evan giggled to himself and went in to lunch.
After lunch, they carried the dishes into the kitchen and loaded them in the dishwasher. “What do you want to do this afternoon?” Kermit asked. “How about some experiments in my lab?”
“No way!” Andy replied.
Evan heard Conan calling them. “Hey, you three! Hey, guys!” Conan shouted from the backyard.
Evan led the way out the door. He couldn’t keep a smile from spreading across his face. Conan probably wants us to help him round up the blue blobs, he thought.
But to his surprise, he saw no blue blobs in the backyard.
“What’s going on?” Evan asked Conan.
Conan grinned at him. “I found that blue candy of yours,” he said.
“Huh? Blue candy?” Evan gasped.
Conan nodded. “Yeah. You remember. That candy you wouldn’t share with me the other night. I found it and I ate it. It was pretty good. Sticky, but good.”
“But — but—” Evan sputtered.
“Now I just have two small problems,” Conan continued. “For one thing, I can’t stop drinking water.”
“What’s the other problem?” Evan asked in a trembling voice.
“Look,” Conan replied. He waved toward his backyard.
And a figure came running out from the house.
Another Conan!
That Conan was followed by two more Conans!
The four Conans swept around Evan, Kermit, and Andy, and formed a circle around them.
“This is my other problem,” Conan said, narrowing his eyes menacingly at Evan. “There are four of us now. And I don’t know why — but we’re feeling MEANER than usual!”