IO ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES.

in the tree with patience, as he was afraid
some of them might come out if he left
his hiding-place.

At length the door opened, and the
forty thieves came out. After he had
seen all the troop pass out before him,
Ali Baba heard the Captain say the words,
sHuT sesame! Each man then bridled
his horse, and mounted. When the Cap-
tain saw that all were ready, he put
himself at their head, and they rode off
as they had come.

Ali Baba did not come down from the
tree at once, because he thought they
might have forgotten something, and be
obliged to come back, and that he should
thus be caught. He watched them as
long as he could; nor did he leave the
tree for a long time after he had lost
sight of them. Then, recalling the
words the Captain had used to open and
shut the door, he made his way through
the bushes to it, and called out, ‘Open
Sesamé!” Instantly the door flew wide
open!

Ali Baba expected to find only a dark
cave, and was much astonished at seeing
a large, fine vaulted chamber, dug out of
the rock, and higher than a man could
reach. It received its light from a hole