ALI BABA
7
Cassim kicked and screamed, till he was ready to drop with fatigue and vexation.
Presently he heard the sound of horses' feet, which he rightly concluded to be the robbers, and he trembled lest he should fall a victim to his thirst of riches.
He resolved however to make one effort to escape: and when he heard Sesame pronounced and saw the door open, he sprang out; but was instantly put to death by the swords of the robbers.
The thieves now held a council, but not one of them could possibly guess by what means Cassim had got into the cave.
They saw the heaps of treasure he had piled ready to take away, but they did not miss what Ali Baba had secured before.
At length they agreed to cut Cassim's body into four quarters and hang the pieces within the cave, that it might terrify any one from further attempts; and also determined not to return themselves for fear of being watched and discovered.
When Cassim's wife saw night come on, and her husband not returned, she became greatly terrified.
She watched at her window till day-break, and then went to tell Ali Baba of her fears.
Cassim had not informed him of his design of going to the cave, but Ali Baba, now hearing of his journey thither, did not wait to be desired to go in search of him.
