It was not long before the captain of the robbers got up, and, seeing that all was dark and quiet, gave the appointed signal by throwing little stones, some of which hit the jars, as he doubted not by the sound they gave.  As there was no response, he threw stones a second and a third time, and could not imagine why there was no answer to his signal.

Much alarmed, he went softly down into the yard, and, going to the first jar to ask the robber if he was ready, smelt the hot boiled oil, which sent forth a steam out of the jar.  From this he suspected that his plot was found out, and, looking into the jars one by one, he found that all his gang were dead.  Enraged to despair, he forced the lock of a door that led from the yard to the garden, and made his escape.  When Morgiana saw him go, she went to bed, well pleased that she had saved her master. and his family.

Ali Baba rose before day, and went to the baths without knowing of what had happened in the night.  When he returned he was very much surprised to see the oil-jars in the yard and the mules in the stable.

“God preserve you and all your family,” said Morgiana when she was asked what it meant; “you will know better when you have seen what I have to show you.”

So saying she led him to the first jar, and asked him to see if there was any oil.  When he saw a man instead, he started back in alarm.

“Do not be afraid,” said Morgiana; “he can do neither you nor anybody else the least harm.  He is dead.  Now look into all the other jars.”

Ali Baba was more and more amazed as he went on, and saw all the dead men and the sunken oil-jar at the end.  He stood looking from the jars to Morgiana, till he found words to ask:  “And what is become of the merchant?”

“Merchant!” answered she; “he is as much one as I am.”

Then she led him into the house, and told of all that she had done, from the first noticing of the chalk-mark to the death of the robbers and the flight of their captain.  On hearing of these brave deeds from Morgiana’s own lips, Ali Baba said to her:—­

“God, by your means, has delivered me from death.  For the first token of what I owe you, I give you your liberty from this moment, till I can fully reward you as I intend.”

Near the trees at the end of Ali Baba’s long garden, he and Abdalla dug a trench large enough to hold the bodies of the robbers.  When they were buried there, Ali Baba hid the jars and weapons; and as the mules were of no use to him, he sent them at different times to be sold in the market by his slave.

V

THE CAPTAIN DISCOVERED AND KILLED BY MORGIANA

The captain of the forty robbers had returned to his cave in the forest, but found himself so lonely there that the place became frightful to him.  He resolved at the same time to avenge the fate of his comrades, and to bring about the death of Ali Baba.  For this purpose he returned to the town, disguised as a merchant of silks.  By degrees he brought from his cavern many sorts of fine stuffs, and to dispose of these he took a warehouse that happened to be opposite Cassim’s, which Ali Baba’s son had occupied since the death of his uncle.