done before, marked the other neighbors' houses in the same place
and manner.

The robber, at his return to his company, valued himself much on
the precaution he had taken, which he looked upon as an infallible
way of distinguishing Ali Baba's house from the others; and the
captain and all of them thought it must succeed. They conveyed
themselves into the town with the same precaution as before; but
when the robber and his captain came to the street they found the
same difficulty; at which the captain was enraged, and the robber
in as great confusion as his predecessor.

Thus the captain and his troop were forced to retire a second
time, and much more dissatisfied; while the robber, who had been
the author of the mistake, underwent the same punishment, which he
willingly submitted to.

The captain, having lost two brave fellows of his troop, was
afraid of diminishing it too much by pursuing this plan to get
information of the residence of their plunderer. He found by their
example that their heads were not so good as their hands on such
occasions, and therefore resolved to take upon himself the
important commission.

Accordingly, he went and addressed himself to Baba Mustapha, who
did him the same service he had done to the other robbers. He did
not set any particular mark on the house, but examined and
observed it so carefully, by passing often by it, that it was
impossible for him to mistake it.