"We can't let Zork's team win," Ben told his teammates.
"We'll do better in the next two events—the slime ball toss and the cross-country race," Deb said. "I'm a good runner, even without kangaroo feet."
"Me too," Mog said. "I think I can outrun Zork."
"You were beating him in the sack race," Ben said. He suddenly remembered something. "What did you whisper to Zork just before the race started? It seemed to spook him."
Mog laughed. "I wanted to rattle him. So I said, 'Don't trip over your own tail.'"
"And he did trip over his tail!" Jen said.
"Too bad we didn't win though," Mog said ruefully.
Soon everybody was back on the field. The two teams stood opposite each other a short distance apart.
"The slime ball toss ends when all three players on one team are out," Mr. Gwarg explained. "Remember, you have to throw the slime balls to the opposing player and not at the opposing player. And you must throw underhand. After two tosses, you will step back and start tossing again. Good luck!"
The first few tosses went smoothly. Then Pixel missed a toss from Cleo. The slime ball fell between his hands and crashed onto the ground. Splat!
"You're out, Pixel," Cleo said.
Lon went out next, after a toss from Ben. "Ick!" the werewolf said as the slime ball exploded on his snout.
Jen took out Gaby as Ben got a new slime ball and faced Cleo. Meanwhile Mog and Zork were trying hard to knock each other out. They threw their ball underhand, but their tosses were very high. And as they played, they argued back and forth.
"I'll get you back for that crack about my tail!" Zork said.
"Only if you don't trip over it!" Mog shot back.
Deb and Carly were tossing to each other. Both doppelgangers had grown giant-size hands that looked like baseball gloves. Ben tossed the slime ball to Cleo, and then they each took several steps backward again.
"Argh! I'm out!" Mog cried. The slime ball was caught on one of his horns, and the slime was dripping into his eyes.
"Yes!" Zork dropped to his knees and threw his arms in the air.
Brunhilda had been catching Waldo's tosses. "Ahh!" She suddenly missed a slime ball, and now her whole face was covered in the gooey stuff.
"I guess Waldo is good at this," Ben thought, watching. "He has—" Splat! A slime ball slammed Ben in the forehead.
With Ben out, Cleo went to face Waldo, just as Deb missed a low throw and got her legs splattered.
That left Carly waiting for an opponent, but only for a moment. Splat! Zork stared down at a big slime stain on his belly.
"It's all in the wrist action," Jen boasted. She picked up a new slime ball and began tossing with Carly.
"Only Waldo and Jen are left from Team Black," Ben thought. "Can they beat Cleo and Carly?"
For several tosses, no one missed, so no one got slimed.
"C'mon, Team Black! You can do it!" Mog yelled.
"Beat 'em, Team Orange!" Zork shouted back.
"Ahh!" Waldo suddenly scratched his arms and his belly. "I'm so itchy! It must be the grass from the field."
Cleo tossed the slime ball, which bounced off Waldo's arm and into the grass.
"Yes!" Cleo cheered.
Then Carly let out a startled cry. "Oh no!" Her slime ball slid from her hand and smashed her right in the mouth. She licked her lips. "It tastes good though!"
"We've got our finalists—Cleo and Jen!" Mr. Gwarg announced. He handed a new ball to Cleo, and a hush fell over the crowd as the two monsters began tossing the ball back and forth.
Ben bit a fingernail. Next to him, Deb looked just as nervous.
"If Jen loses," Deb whispered, "Team Orange will win Field Day."
"I know," Ben said grimly.
Cleo tossed the ball again. This time it soared high into the air. Jen reached for it, but her arms were short, and . . . Boink! As the ball hit her head, the crowd gasped. But the slime ball didn't break. Instead it sank back down and right into her waiting hands.
Ben laughed. "No wonder she's doing so well in this event. Blobs are soft!"
Jen threw the ball back. Cleo caught it, but then it slipped from her fingers. Splat! Slime splashed everywhere.
Mog and Ben bumped chests. Team Black's fans were going wild.
"Team Black has won the slime ball toss!" Mr. Gwarg called out.
Jen grinned proudly. "It's great to be a blob!"