“You know those models that you can see the insides of, like The Invisible Engine, The Invisible Man, and The Invisible Woman? Well, I came up with a new one.” 

Joshua looked up from the newspaper. “What is it?” 

Davy held up his hand, over which he had pulled a plastic bread bag with a face drawn on it. “Behold, The Invisible Hand Puppet! See?” Davy waved it about in a silly song-and-dance routine. 

“I'm sure that has marketing potential,” replied Joshua. 

Davy removed it and tossed it on the table. “At least until the Consumer Product Safety Commission gets wind of it – I read somewhere they frown on plastic bags being used for toys.” 

Just then Yvette walked by with a beach towel wrapped around her. “Hi Joshua,” she said as she paused to grab a soda out of the fridge. 

“Hey Yvette!” replied Joshua. “What's up?” 

“Not much – I'm going to work on my tan.” 

“Good luck with those tan lines,” scoffed Davy. 

“At least I don't look like a beached whale like you do,” she shot back as she walked out the kitchen door. 

Davy grimaced at the thought. “Hrrmph. At least I won't look like a boiled lobster from soaking up all those radioactive cosmic rays.” Then his mood suddenly lightened up. “Oh well, ready to head out?” 

“Sure,” said Joshua as he got up from the kitchen table and followed Davy out the door. Instead of going straight to the car, though, Davy led him around to the back of the house. “What are you doing?” he asked as Davy pulled a balloon out of his pocket. 

“Nothing,” replied Davy as he slipped it over the water spigot and began to fill it. He shut off the water and carefully tied the balloon, then continued around the house and paused along the fence that surrounded the pool. He peeked between the slats, waited a moment, then lobbed the water balloon over the fence. Joshua could hear the smack of a breaking water balloon, followed by “AUUUUGH! DA-VY!” 

“SUCK IT UP!” he hollered back as he casually walked away. 

“Shouldn't you be on the run by now?” asked Joshua. 

“Nah,” replied Davy. “She can't run and contain herself in that skimpy, little bikini.” 

“You just wait, Davy!” hollered Yvette from the other side of the fence. 

Davy just ignored her as they continued to the car. “Next time I'll set up a camera; maybe I can enter that photo-op contest in Nude Volleyball Magazine.” 

“If you live for a next time,” added Joshua. 

“In that case, maybe I'll fill the next one with food coloring,” mused Davy as they walked out to his car. “I might as well go out in style.” 

“You'd think with all the money they raked in, they would have bought nicer cars,” said Davy as they rumbled along in a tired Mercury. 

Joshua nodded. “Yeah, but they were probably trying to keep a low profile.” 

“Too bad it turned into a high-profile bust,” countered Davy. 

“Hard to believe this one was the nicest of the lot.” 

Davy agreed. “Dad hauled them all into the salvage yard yesterday; this is the only one that runs. I guess none of the criminal masterminds were mechanically inclined.” 

Joshua started to say something as he opened the glove box; he took one horrified look and slammed it shut. 

“Uh, Davy,” he said nervously. “I think they forgot to search this one.” 

“Why, what's in there?” asked Davy, reaching over to pop the glove box open. He took one look and slammed it shut. “OH GEEZ!” 

“We can't be running around with that in the car!” exclaimed Joshua. 

“Well, don't just stand there - do something!” 

“Like what?” 

“I don't know! You tell me, you're the smart one!” 

“Quick, turn this thing around and let's get back to the yard!” 

As soon as they arrived, Davy drove the car out to the junkyard and they got out as fast as they could. “OK, you pull the battery and dealer plate while I get the loader... let's squash this thing before anyone finds out!” They scrambled to get the car ready, then Davy picked it up with the loader and stuck it in the crusher. As soon as he was clear, Joshua reached over to push the button, and the crusher did the rest. 

“Man, that was too scary,” said Joshua, looking at the big cube that used to be the Mercury. 

“I'll say. I'm not even going to admit to seeing that.” 

Joshua agreed. “Let's just keep quiet about this and pretend nothing ever happened.” 

Davy nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.” They stood there for a long moment before he added, “We still need wheels, though. How about that Volvo that got T-boned?” suggested Davy, pointing to a wrecked station wagon. “There's still air in the tires.” 

“Hey, look over there,” said Joshua, pointing to a clearing beyond the junkyard. “Isn't that Chook Chook?” 

Davy looked at where Joshua was pointing. “That's the neighbors horse, alright,” said Davy. “Looks like he got out again.” 

They approached the horse, who just looked at them casually and went back to grazing. “Hey Chook Chook,” said Davy as he took up the bridle. “You shouldn't be wandering around like that. You could end up at the glue factory or something.” 

“Well, let's bring him back,” said Joshua. “I'm sure they'll be happy that...what are you doing?” 

Davy put his foot in a stirrup and swung himself over the saddle. “I'm going to ride him.” 

Joshua looked at him in disbelief. “YOU? Ride a horse?” 

“Nothing to it,” replied Davy. “Come on, Chook Chook, lets go!” 

Chook Chook ignored Davy and continued to graze. “I don't know, Davy,” said Joshua, leaning against a tree. 

“Hi-ho, Silver – awaaaaaaay!” called Davy as the horse looked around. 

“That sure worked,” snickered Joshua. 

“Hey,” said Davy to the horse. “Pay attention when I'm talking to you.” 

“Maybe we should just lead him home,” suggested Joshua as Chook Chook began to wander off. 

“Stop, you silly horse! What do you think you're doing? Hey, where's the brakes on this thing?” asked Davy. 

“Don't ask me,” replied Joshua as he walked alongside. “You're the one driving.” 

“Are you kidding? I can't even steer.” 

“Here, let me have the reins,” said Joshua as he reached out for the bridle. “Come on, Chook Chook,” he added with a gentle tug. “Let's bring you home.” 

“Can I still ride?” asked Davy. “This is kind of fun.” 

Joshua laughed. “If you're real good, I'll even give you a cowboy hat and take your picture.” 

“Give me a mask, too, so I can look like The Lone Ranger.” 

Joshua looked up at Davy. “Wearing a Batman t-shirt?” 

Davy looked down at his shirt. “Well, maybe not. I guess I'm more of the Dudley Do-Right type.” 

“All that riding made me hungry,” said Davy. 

“But we just ate...” started Joshua. 

“And we'll eat again,” replied Davy as they walked up the driveway. “We can't pick out a new Batmobile on an empty stomach.” 

Just as they came to the porch steps, Joshua and Davy heard Yvette call out, “Heads up, you moron!” 

Davy looked up to see Yvette toss a water balloon out the window; she missed Davy – but got Joshua. Davy began to laugh hysterically. “Hahahaha! You missed me, you stupid -” only to get soaked by a whole bucket of water balloons. “SUCK IT UP!” she shouted. 

Joshua was laughing so hard that he didn't notice that Davy had stormed into the house, bent on exacting revenge on his sister.