They filed off in parties of two each, after some interval of time, and
got into the town without being in the least suspected. The captain, and
he who had visited the town in the morning as spy, came in the last. He
led the captain into the street where he had marked Ali Baba's
residence; and when they came to the first of the houses which Morgiana
had marked, he pointed it out. But the captain observed that the next
door was chalked in the same manner and in the same place; and showing
it to his guide, asked him which house it was, that, or the first. The
guide was so confounded, that he knew not what answer to make; but still
more puzzled, when he and the captain saw five or six houses similarly
marked. He assured the captain, with an oath, that he had marked but
one, and could not tell who had chalked the rest, so that he could not
distinguish the house which the cobbler had stopped at.

The captain, finding that their design had proved abortive, went
directly to the place of meeting, and told his troop that they had lost
their labour, and must return to their cave. He himself set them the
example, and they all returned as they had come.

When the troop was all got together, the captain told them the reason of
their returning; and presently the conductor was declared 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,