quarters—to hang two on one side, and two on the other, within the door of the cave. They had no sooner taken this resolution than they put it in execution; and when they had nothing more to detain them, left the place, mounted their horses, and went to beat the roads again, and to attack the caravans they might meet.
In the mean time, Cassim’s wife was very uneasy when night came, and her husband had not returned. She ran to Ali Baba in great alarm, and said, “Brother-in-law, you know Cassim is gone to the forest, and upon what account; it is now night, and he has not returned; I am afraid some misfortune has happened to him.” Ali Baba told her that she need not frighten herself, for that certainly Cassim would not think it proper to come into the town till the night was pretty far advanced.
Cassim’s wife realizing how much it concerned her husband to keep the business secret, was persuaded to believe her brother-in-law. She went home again, and waited patiently till midnight. Then her fear redoubled. She repented her foolish curiosity, and cursed her desire of prying into the affairs of her brother and sister-in-law. She spent all the night in weeping; and as soon as it was day went to them, telling them, by her tears, the cause of her coming.
Ali Baba did not wait for his sister-in-law to desire him to go to see what was become of Cassim, but departed immediately with his three asses, begging her first to moderate her
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