ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES. 31

lost if we are not very careful. All that
we can at present tell is, that the man
whom we killed in the cave knew the
secret of opening the door. But he was
not the only one; another must have found
it out too. Having slain one, we must
not let the other escape. Well, the
first thing to be done is that one of you
should go to the. city, without arms, and
in the dress of a traveller, and try to
discover. who the man we killed was,
and where he lived.”

The thief who agreed to carry out this
plan, having disguised himself so that no
one could have told who he was, set
off at night, and entered the city just as
day was dawning. He went towards the
square, where he saw only one shop
open, which was that of Baba Mustapha,
the cobbler.

Baba Mustapha was seated on his stool,
with his awl in his hand, ready. to begin
his work. The thief went up. to him
and wished him good morning, ‘‘ My
good man,” said he, ‘‘ you rise early to
your work; you can hardly see clearly at
this early hour, so old as you are.”

‘Whoever you are,” replied Baba
Mustapha, ‘you do not know much of
me. Old as I am, I have good eyes; and