who could inform him of
what he wanted to know. All the robbers listened to him with the
utmost satisfaction; when the captain, after commending his
diligence, addressing himself to them all, said, "Comrades, we
have no time to lose: let us set off well armed, without its
appearing who we are; but that we may not excite any suspicion,
let only one or two go into the town together, and join at our
rendezvous, which shall be the great square. In the mean time our
comrade, who brought us the good news, and I, will go and find
out the house, that we may consult what had best be done."

This speech and plan were approved of by all, and they were soon
ready. They filed off in parties of two each, after some interval
of time, and got into the town without being in the least
suspected. The captain and he who had visited the town in the
morning as spy, came in the last. He led the captain into the
street where he had marked Ali Baba's residence; and when they
came to the first of the houses which Morgiana had marked, he
pointed it out. But the captain observed that the next door was
chalked in the same manner, and in the same place; and shewing it
to his guide, asked him which house it was, that, or the first?
The guide was so confounded, that he knew not what answer to
make; but still more puzzled, when he and the captain saw five or
six houses similarly marked. He assured the captain, with an
oath, that he had marked but one, And could not tell who had
chalked the rest, so that he could not distinguish the house
which the cobbler had stopped at.

The captain, finding that their design had proved abortive, went
directly to the place of rendezvous, and told the first of his
troops whom he met that they had lost their labour, and must
return to their cave. He himself set them the example, and they
all returned as they had come.

When the troop was all got together, the captain told them the
reason of their returning; and presently the conductor was
declared by all worthy of death. He condemned himself,
acknowledging that he ought to have taken better precaution, and
prepared to receive the stroke from him who was appointed to cut
off his head.

But as the safety of the troop required that an injury should not
go unpunished, another of the gang, who promised himself that he
should succeed better, presented himself, and his offer being
accepted, he went and corrupted Baba Mustapha, as the other had
done; and being shewn th