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58 too glad to escape by writing down these very words, with his signature below.

The merchant with his friends then returned to the court, handed over the paper to the king as an acknowledgment of the barber's satisfaction, and the king restored to the merchant the ship he had lost on the cheat's complaint.

There remained thus only one ship to be recovered, and one of the robbers, leaving the court, went in search of the one-eyed rascal. The search was successful, and the rogue was brought before the king, whereupon our hero thus pressed his suit, "O Impersonation of justice! the man before you had one of my ships with my possessions in it decreed to him by this august court on the ground that I was unwilling to give him back the eye he had pawned to my father, even on receiving the money advanced on it. Now, sire, I beg with all humility to say that I was not in the least unwilling to let him have his property on the receipt of my money but only unprepared to do so because I had not the eye then with me. I was just going to explain this to him, when he grew mad with fury and sought your majesty's presence. Now I admit his claim, and I will return him the eye as soon as I can find it, on my return home, among the many eyes that were pawned to my father, and are carefully preserved in our family treasury. All that I want is a little time, and the other eye of this man, for without it, it will be impossible for me to find its fellow. Order it then to be plucked out, and made over to me, and for the faithful performance of my promise, I will leave with him that ship of mine which is already in his possession."

The speech being ended, the claimant of the eye looked glum and vacant and finally ran out of the court, hooted and pelted with stones by the gang of robbers. The court then ordered the merchant to take possession of his fourth ship. This was soon done, and he who had been the victim of so many chicaneries left the wicked country, awarding one of his ships to the head robber in grateful acknowledgment of his matchless and disinterested services.