About a quarter to eight the children had the house more or less to themselves. Cissy's governess had a holiday and the aged nurse (who had no sort of control over Pickering) was the only person there who had even a shadow of authority. She was to see that Cissy didn't play wild games, and went to bed at half-past eight, but as a matter of fact the aged nurse did neither. Cissy stayed with the boys as long as they would allow her. At last the joyous moment arrived, they went on the balcony and Pickering started his first rocket. Cissy, a little frightened, clung to Clifford. "Suppose we have a crowd round the house," she murmured. "You see how easy it is," Pickering said. "Anyone with a little sense can do it. Now! Now, Cissy! get out of the way!" They waited and waited. But, alas! nothing happened. He tried again and yet again, but it turned out a failure, the sort of tragedy that is more disappointing than any danger or even any accident. ... It fell completely flat. * * * * * There must have been something the matter with the infernal fireworks. It couldn't have been Pickering not knowing how to do them. That was impossible, simply because Pickering always knew how to do everything. The wretched man who sold them to him must have cheated. It was a terrible _fiasco_. Not a single one of the rotten things went off. The most awful thing happened that could happen in life. After great fear, hope, suspense, excitement and joy, _the squibs were damp_! Nothing went off. Nothing happened. As to the Bengal fire, nothing was ever seen of it but some damp paper and a very horrible scent. Certainly there was no vulgarity about it, no ostentation, except the perfume. The fireworks were as private as they could possibly be! "At any rate," said Cissy, trying to console her guest, "perhaps it's better than if the house had caught fire and we had all been burnt up!" They weren't so very sure. It wouldn't have been so flat. Then Pickering made an attempt to imply that the whole thing was simply a practical joke of his. "Well, if it is," said Clifford to himself, "by Jove, if it is--it's the greatest success I've ever seen in my life!" CHAPTER XXXIII NIGEL ABROAD