One dreamed of running away and being chased by a dog with a hat on his head, who barked "Good-night" as fiercely as a bite.

The other dreamed of money and brown sugar.

And all the while the rats were treating themselves to nibbles of wood; but nobody heard them.

Be careful, old rats! Your teeth have done mischief before now! The night wore on to the wee small hours, when a loud noise like a cannon startled Mrs.Rosenberg; or was she dreaming?
The house was shaken to its very foundation, as if by an earthquake, and the room was full of smoke.

She was just running for the children, when the building fell together with a crash, the roof was blown off into the street, the windows were shivered to atoms, and tongues of flame leaped madly up from the ruins.
What did it mean?
She was so stunned by the shock that she scarcely cared whether one of her children was spared or not; she only thought in her stupor that Mr.Parlin would not pay her for Dotty's lodging if the child was blown to pieces.
"I know how it happened," said she, twitching at her own hair to arouse herself.