THE FORTY THIEVES 223

In the meantime the thief rejoined his troop
in the forest, and recounted to them his success ;
expatiating upon his good fortune in meeting
so soon with the only person who could inform
him of what he wanted to know. All the
robbers listened to him with the utmost satis-
faction; when the captain, after commending
his diligence, addressing himself to them all,
said, ‘Comrades, we have no time to lose: let
us set off well armed, without its appearing
who we are; but that we may not excite any
suspicion, let only one or two go into the town
together, and join at our rendezvous, which
shall be the great square. In the meantime
our comrade who brought us the good news,
and I, will go and find out the house, that we
may consult what had best be done.”

This speech and plan were approved of by
all, and they were soon ready. They filed off
in parties of two each, after some interval of
- time, and got into the town without being in
the least suspected. The captain, and he who
had visited the town in the morning as spy,
came in the last. He led the captain into the
street where he had marked Ali Baba’s resi-
dence; and when they came to the first of the
houses which Morgiana had marked, he pointed