Page:Lange - The Blue Fairy Book.djvu/285

 followed him to the grave, weeping and tearing her hair, while Cassim’s wife stayed at home uttering lamentable cries. Next day she went to live with Ali Baba, who gave Cassim’s shop to his eldest son.



The Forty Thieves, on their return to the cave, were much astonished to find Cassim’s body gone and some of their money-bags. ‘We are certainly discovered,’ said the Captain, ‘and shall be undone if we cannot find out who it is that knows our secret. Two men must have known it; we have killed one, we must now find the other. To this end one of you who is bold and artful must go into the city dressed as a traveller, and discover whom we have killed, and whether men talk of the strange manner of his death. If the messenger fails he must lose his life, lest we be betrayed.’ One of the thieves started up and offered to do this, and after the rest had highly