robbers; and as the earth was light, they were not long in doing it. When this was done, Ali Baba buried the dead men, hid the jars and weapons and as he had no occasion for the mules, sent them at different times to be sold in the market by his slave.
While Ali Baba took these measures, the captain of the forty robbers returned to the forest with inconceivable mortification. He did not stay long; the loneliness of the gloomy cavern became frightful to him. He determined, however, to avenge the fate of his companions, and to accomplish the death of Ali Baba. For this purpose he returned to the town, took a lodging in a khan, and disguised himself as a merchant in silks. Under this assumed character, he gradually conveyed a great many sorts of rich stuffs and fine linen to his lodging from the cavern. In order to dispose of the merchandise, when he had thus amassed it together, he took a warehouse, which happened to be opposite Cassim’s counting-house, which Ali Baba’s son had occupied since the death of his uncle.
He took the name of Cogia Houssain, and as a new-comer was, according to custom, extremely civil and complaisant to all the merchants his neighbors. Ali Baba’s son was one of the first to converse with Cogia Houssain, who strove to cultivate his friendship more particularly.
Two or three days after the false merchant was settled, Ali
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