can't see
a mailbox?
I've got to call the sheriff about this.
I'd throw his butt in jail
is what I'd do.
Beethoven?
Oh, no.
What have you done?
You've only been here 30 seconds
and you've already trashed the place.
Beethoven!
We're gonna get
kicked out of here too.
- Sorry about the kitchen.
- Is something wrong?
Well, it's kind of a mess.
I'm sorry about that.
I should have cleaned up before you got here.
You mean you did this?
Not Beethoven?
Uh, why?
Is he a messy dog or something?
It depends on what
you call messy.
Hey, no big deal.
I'll take care of this.
Just wait here one sec.
Boy, I can't wait to see my room.
Okay, Sara, grab a wall!
Whoa! Uncle Freddy!
Whoa!
I put the linoleum in
so I could do this!
Watch out, Beethoven!
It's just a little side benefit I get
for tuning up that fire truck.
Uncle Freddy, I already took a shower!
Beethoven, stay back!
Pretty clean, huh?
So, what do you usually have
for breakfast at home?
Mom says as far as nutrition
is concerned,
breakfast is the most important
meal of the day.
You've gotta have milk
and fruit and protein.
Okay. Comin' right up.
There you go.
This is breakfast?
Fruit, milk and protein...
just like you asked for.
Uncle Freddy,
it's a banana split.
I think I'll have some
of your bran flakes, if I may.
Bran flakes? Okay, sure.
I don't see an expiration date on this,
so it should be okay.
Say "when. "
When!
It's a shame to see all that ice cream
go to waste.
Mmm.
Hey, look at this.
Who needs a maid?
That floor will never be safe for trash again.
I should have got a dog
a long time ago.
Watch out, Beethoven!
Whoa!
You are a natural. Mmm.
- Don't you have any work to do?
- The great thing about being your own boss...
is nobody tells you when to come in,
you can have lunch
whenever you like...
and, best of all,
you can have creeper races
whenever you want.
Come on. Give it a try.
I don't know.
Mmm, come on. It'll be fun. Try it.
Um, no thanks.
It looks dangerous.
All right. You know what?
Sometimes you gotta jump in
without your floaties. Watch.
- Aaah! Watch it, Uncle Freddy!
- Whoa!
Aaah!
Oh! Watch... Watch out!
Freddy!
I scored that jump a 10!
Hey, yeah. It was, wasn't it?
Uncle Freddy, are you okay?
Hey, you guys want to
hang out or something?
No, I can't. I gotta put shocks
on that Caddy over there.
But you guys should definitely hang out.
Hi, I'm Garrett.
Hi. I'm Sara.
You're very tall for an
eight-year-old. Eight-year-old?
Okay, so I was off a couple of years.
Hey, is that your dog?
Yeah. This is Beethoven.
You know, Saint Bernards are known
for their psychic abilities.
Well, he is pretty smart,
aren't you, boy?
Hey, kids, you want to see
something funny?
Not that. Watch this.
Beethoven, sit.
Now, has that dog got style,
or what?
Hey, wait. I got an idea.
Why don't you two kids
go grab some lunch, huh?
Now, Garrett, you can take, uh,
Sara into town...
and show her the sights, okay?
- We have sights?
- Do you want a free lunch or what?
Yeah.
I don't think Mom would want me
to go without you...
especially with a stranger.
He may be strange,
but he's not a stranger, okay?
He's the smartest kid in town.
Now go, have a good time.
I'll take care of things here.
Come on, let's go.
- Stay with him, Beethoven.
- I'll stay with Beethoven.
He can help me fix the Caddy.
Right, Beethoven?
Oh, you like G.M. products?
Quicksilver, huh? I guess this
used to be a silver mining town.
Uh, not really.
Mercury, actually.
Really?
Yeah.
It was a surprise to the miners
who came out here too.
They were looking for gold
but hit mercury ore instead.
Quicksilver is slang for mercury.
You knew that, right?
Um, makes perfect sense.
But it turns out mercury's pretty dangerous.
It affects the brain's neural function.
Like how?
You'll see.
Hello, Owen. How's it goin'?
It's dry. Too dry.
Mercury, huh?
That's Owen Tuttle, all right.
He thinks the