Colin and Jack took the bundles of fireworks out from under the wooden bench of the summer-house. The Seven then knelt down on the floor to undo the parcels and the boxes. What a lovely job!
"I wish we had a better light than just this flickering candle on the floor," said Pam. "It's difficult to read the names of the fireworks! "
As they all bent over the fireworks by the light of the candle, they heard the sound of a bark, and then scampering feet. Scamper had been let out of the kitchen door and was coming to find his friends. Where were they ? Wuff! Wuff!
"Scamper!" called Janet from the summer-house. "We're here!"
Scamper tore down the garden path, barking madly. Anyone would think he had been away from the seven children for a whole month, not just half an hour!
He rushed straight into the little summer-house, and over went the bottle with the lighted candle in its neck! Crash!
"You idiot, Scamper," said Peter and reached to set the bottle upright again. The candle was still alight.
But before he could take hold of it, the flame of the candle had licked against a bundle of fireworks, they were alight! And not only were they alight, but they were fizzing and spluttering!
Half a dozen fireworks went off together, and the seven children and Scamper tumbled hurriedly out of the little summer-house, trying to get out of the way.
The loose paper on the floor had now been set alight too, and in its turn it set fire to a pile of small fireworks, rather like squibs.
Bang-popbang-popbang-bang! They all went off too. The children clutched one another in dismay. Scamper, really terrified, had completely disappeared.
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bang ! bang ! whoooooosh !
A rocket flew out of the summer-house, and Colin only just got back out of its way in time. Peter dragged everyone back, and Colin fell into a holly bush and yelled so loud that everyone thought the rocket must have hit him.
"Can't we save the rest of the fireworks?" cried Jack, dismayed at seeing all their precious bundles going up in smoke and flame and bangs.
"No. Not unless you want to be smothered in Rockets, and Squibs, and Blue-Flashes, and Whirligigs, and, oh my goodness, what was that? "yelled Peter.
" My Humdinger! My Humdinger! " wailed poor Jack, as something with a long fiery tail flew out of the summer-house with a loud roar. "It cost me three shillings and sixpence! "
" I say we'd better get some water," said Colin, suddenly. " The summer-house might get on fire. Look at that paper blazing up."
They left the firework show and ran to get buckets. There was a little pond nearby, and they filled the buckets from it. Splash! Splash!
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Splash! The water was thrown all over the blazing fireworks, and there was a tremendous sizzling noise. Black smoke poured out of the little house and almost choked the Seven.
"Pooh!" said Jack, and coughed. "What a horrible smell!"
"It's a good thing your mother's out," panted Peter to Colin, coming up with another pail of water. " She would be in a frightful way about this. There, I think we've about got the fire down now. pooooooh ! That smoke! "
It was a very, very sad ending to the tea and meeting at Colin's. Barbara was in tears. She had saved up for weeks to buy fireworks and now there was nothing left of them but smoke and smell and a nasty-looking black mess.
"It's bad luck," said Peter, feeling as if he wouldn't mind howling himself. " Blow Scamper! It's all his fault. Where is he ? "
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"Gone home at sixty miles an hour, I should think," said Janet. "It's a pity he hasn't got a post-office savings book like we have, I'd make him take a whole lot of money out and buy more fireworks for us. It's too bad, we shan't have any now!"
" Well, we certainly shan't be able to buy enough to make a display," said Jack, gloomily. " Come on, let's go. Sorry, Colin, about making your summer-house in a mess. I'll come along tomorrow, when it's dried up a bit, and help you to clear it up,"
They were just about to go off to the front-gate when Janet stopped them. "I say, we meant to choose a new password to-day," she said. " You know that Susie knows our last one ' Guy Fawkes' and we really must have a secret one. Susie has told everyone in our class."
" Yes. I forgot about that," said Peter. " Well, I vote we have ' Fireworks' it really does seem a very good password for to-night! "
" All right, Fireworks," said Colin. " I'm sorry it's been such a disappointing evening. This is definitely not the kind of adventure I like! Goodbye, all of you. See you to-morrow! "
It was a gloomy company of children that made thek way home. Blow Scamper, why did he have to do a silly thing like that ?
