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noise in the town, he asked his host, by way
of discourse, what news there were in the city,
Upon which the innkeeper told him a great
many things, which did not concern him in
the least. He judged by this, that the reason
why Ali Baba kept this affair so secret was
for fear people should know where the trea-
sure lay, and the means of coming at it;
and because he knew his life would be sought
upon account of it. And this urged him
the more to neglect nothing to rid himself
of so dangerous a person.
The next thing that the captain had to
do was to provide himself with a horse, to
convey a great many sorts of rich stuffs and
fine linen to his lodging, which he did by,
a great many journeys to the forest, but
with all the necessary precautions imagin-
able to conceal the place whence he brought
them. In order to dispose of the merchan-
dizes, when he had amassed them together,
he took a furnished shop, which happened
to be opposite to that which was. Cassim's,
which Ali Baba's son had not long occur
pied.
He took upon him the name of Cogia
Houssain, and as a new comer, was, accord-
ing to custom, extremely civil and complai-
sant to all the merchants his neighbours.
And as Ali Baba's son was young and
handsome, and a man of good sense, and
