And after a delay of three days, shortly before nightfall they
arose, and oversmearing all the jars with oil of mustard, each hid him
inside an empty vessel. The chief then disguised himself in trader's
gear and placed the jars upon the nineteen mules; to wit, the
thirty-seven vessels, in each of which lay a robber armed and
accoutered, and the one that was full of oil. This done, he drove
the beasts before him, and presently he reached Ali Baba's place at
nightfall, when it chanced that the housemaster was strolling after
supper to and fro in front of his home. The captain saluted him with
the salaam and said: "I come from such-and-such a village with oil,
and ofttimes have I been here a-selling oil, but now to my grief I
have arrived too late and I am sore troubled and perplexed as to where
I shall spend the night. An thou have pity on me, I pray thee grant
that I tarry here in thy courtyard and ease the mules by taking down
the jars and giving the beasts somewhat of fodder." Albeit Ali Baba
had heard the captain's voice when perched upon the tree and had
seen him enter the cave, yet by reason of the disguise he knew him not
for the leader of the thieves, and granted his request with hearty
welcome and gave him full license to halt there for the night.
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