by all
worthy of death. He condemned himself, acknowledging that he ought to
have taken better precaution, and prepared to receive the stroke from
him who was appointed to cut off his head.

But as the safety of the troop required the discovery of the second
intruder into the cave, another of the gang, who promised himself that
he should succeed better, presented himself, and his offer being
accepted he went and corrupted Baba Mustapha as the other had done;
and being shown the house, marked it in a place more remote from
sight, with red chalk.

Not long after, Morgiana, whose eyes nothing could escape, went out,
and seeing the red chalk, and arguing with herself as she had done
before, marked the other neighbors' houses in the same place and
manner.

The robber, on his return to his company, valued himself much on the
precaution he had taken, which he looked upon as an infallible way of
distinguishing Ali Baba's house from the others; and the captain and
all of them thought it must succeed. They conveyed themselves into the
town with the same precaution as before; but when the robber and his
captain came to the street, they found the same difficulty; at which
the captain was enraged, and the robber in as great confusion as his
predecessor.

Thus the captain and his troop were forced to retire a second time,
and much more dissatisfied; while the robber who had been the author
of the mistake underwent the same punishment, which he willingly
submitted to.

The captain, having lost two brave fellows of his troop, was afraid of
diminishing it too much by pursuing this plan to get information of
the residence of their plunderer. He found by their example that their
heads were not so good as their hands on such occasions; and therefore
resolved to take upon himself the important commission.

Accordingly, he went and addressed himself to Baba Mustapha, who did
him the same service he had done to the other robbers. He did not set
any particular mark on the house, but examined and observed it so
carefully, by passing often by it, that it was impossible for him to
mistake it.

The captain, well satisfied with his attempt, and informed of what he
wanted to know, returned to the forest: and when he came into the
cave, where the troop waited for him, said, "Now, comrades, nothing
can prevent our full revenge, as I am certain of the house; and on my
way hither I have thought how to put it into execution, but if any one
can