"Go home to bed, stupid boy!" growled the people.
But Tony would not go. He screamed louder and louder.
"To jail with him," said someone. "He must have an evil spirit!"
So poor Tony and his dream were thrown into jail in ancient Pompeii.
Morning came. Over the top of the volcano hung a dark cloud. The leaden sky frowned down. Tony kicked at the bars of the jail. He screamed. He pleaded. He cried.
"Quiet, foolish child," said one of the prison guards. "If you keep your peace, you will be free tomorrow."
"There will be no tomorrow!" wailed poor Tony. "Oh, believe me and let us all run! Run from Pompeii!"
"Ha! Ha!" laughed the guard. "You are only a lying little beggar! Nobody believes lying little beggars!"
"But I am telling the truth!" insisted poor Tony. "I am! I am! You must believe me!"
As time went on the black cloud grew larger. Suddenly, a great rumbling started. An immense wall of fire-red stones came crashing down the mountain, destroying everything in its path.
The city was plunged into darkness. People began screaming and running from their houses. Everything rocked back and forth.
"Let me out!" cried Tony. "Oh, save me! Madonna mia, never again will I lie or steal! Oh, never! Save me! Save me!"
He held Tina tightly. She wriggled and tried to break away. All at once she began to squeal. He had never heard a dog squeal like that!
Stones came hurtling against the prison wall. Some entered through the bars and hit Tony in the face. He closed his eyes. He put up his arm to ward them off.
Then the roar of the mountain ceased and the quaking of the earth stopped. But that strange squealing went right on. A few small pebbles still came flying.
He opened his eyes. The sun was shining. The sky was blue overhead. Grey ruins lay all about him. Old, old ruins! Tony was in the modern world. He had awakened from his dream!
But what was that something squirming to break away from him? It was not Tina. It felt fat and slippery and.... He looked.
He was holding, by one leg, a frisky, pink pig! Its piteous shrieks filled the silent, ruined city of Pompeii.
Just then, a shower of stones from a near-by wall hit him. He turned. There was Tina, standing upon the wall, digging with her two busy, front paws. She was scattering ruined Pompeii in Tony's eyes as fast as she could scatter!