“Cheater,” Evan repeated.
Dogface hiccupped. Then he let out a pained howl.
Kermit returned to his lab table. He poured a yellow liquid into a red liquid. It started to smoke. Then it turned bright orange.
Andy tucked the math test into her backpack.
Kermit poured the orange liquid into a large glass beaker. He picked up a tiny bottle, turned it upside down, and emptied silvery crystals into the beaker.
Evan stepped up beside Kermit. “You can’t feed that to Dogface,” Evan insisted. “I really mean it. I won’t let you give it to him.”
Kermit ignored him. He stirred the mixture until it turned white. Then he added another powder that made it turn orange again.
“You have to listen to me, Kermit,” Evan said. “I’m in charge, right?”
Kermit continued to ignore him.
Dogface hiccupped. His white furry body quivered and shook.
“Let Kermit work,” Andy told Evan. “He’s a genius.”
“Maybe he’s a genius,” Evan replied. “But I’m in charge. Until Kermit’s mom gets home, I’m the boss.”
Kermit poured the mixture into a red dog dish.
“I’m the boss,” said Evan. “And the boss says no.”
Kermit lowered the dog dish to the floor.
“The boss says you can’t feed that to Dogface,” Evan said.
“Here, boy! Here, boy!” Kermit called.
“No way!” Evan cried. “No way the dog is drinking that!”
Evan made a dive for the bowl. He planned to grab it away.
But he dove too hard—and went sliding under the lab table.
Dogface lowered his head to the dog dish and began lapping up the orange mixture.
Evan spun around and stared eagerly at the dog. All three of them were waiting … waiting … waiting to see what would happen.
Dogface licked the bowl clean. Then he stared up at Kermit, as if to say, “Thank you.”
Kermit petted the big dog’s head. He smoothed the white, curly fur from in front of Dogface’s eyes. The fur fell right back in place. Dogface licked Kermit’s hand.
“See? The hiccups are gone,” Kermit declared to Evan.
Evan stared at the dog. He waited a few seconds more. “You’re right,” he confessed. “The hiccups are gone.”
“It was a simple mixture,” Kermit bragged. “Just a little tetrahydropodol with some hydradroxilate crystals and an ounce of megahydracyl oxyneuroplat. Any child could do it.”
“What a genius!” Andy exclaimed.
Evan started to say something. But Dogface interrupted with a sharp yip.
Then, without warning, the big sheepdog sprang forward. With another shrill yip, Dogface raised his enormous front paws—and leaped on to Kermit.
Kermit let out a startled cry and stumbled back against the wall. Bottles and jars shook on the shelves behind him.
Dogface began barking wildly, uttering shrill, excited yips. The dog jumped again, as if trying to leap into Kermit’s arms.
“Down, boy! Down!” Kermit squealed.
The dog jumped again.
The shelves shook. Kermit sank to the floor.
“Down, boy! Down!” Kermit shrieked, covering his head with both arms. “Stop it, Dogface! Stop jumping!”
The excited dog used his head to push Kermit’s arm away. Then he began licking Kermit’s face frantically. Then he began nipping at his T-shirt.
“Stop! Yuck! Stop!” Kermit struggled to get away. But the big dog had Kermit pinned to the floor.
“What’s going on?” Andy cried. “What’s gotten into that dog?”
