Sentence:  They went into a dingy room lined with books and littered with papers, where there was a blazing fire. A kettle steamed upon the <WSD>hob</WSD>, and in the midst of the wreck of papers a table shone, with plenty of wine upon it, and brandy, and rum, and sugar, and lemons. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  The flat projection or iron shelf at the side of a fire grate, where things are put to be kept warm.