By this means Morgiana found that her master had admitted to his house thirty-eight robbers, of whom the pretended oil merchant, their captain, was one.  She made what haste she could to fill her oil pot, and returned to her kitchen, lighted her lamp, and taking a great kettle went back to the oil jar and filled it.  Then she set the kettle on a large wood fire, and as soon as it boiled went and poured enough into every jar to stifle and destroy the robber within.

When this deed, worthy of the courage of Morgiana, was done without any noise, as she had planned, she returned to the kitchen with the empty kettle, put out the lamp, and left just enough of the fire to make the broth.  Then she sat silent, resolving not to go to rest till she had seen through the window that opened on the yard whatever might happen there.

It was not long before the captain of the robbers got up, and, seeing that all was dark and quiet, gave the appointed signal by throwing little stones, some of which hit the jars, as he doubted not by the sound they gave.  As there was no response, he threw stones a second and a third time, and could not imagine why there was no answer to his signal.

Much alarmed, he went softly down into the yard, and, going to the first jar to ask the robber if he was ready, smelt the hot boiled oil, which sent forth a steam out of the jar.  From this he suspected that his plot was found out, and, looking into the jars one by one, he found that all his gang were dead.  Enraged to despair, he forced the lock of a door that led from the yard to the garden, and made his escape.  When Morgiana saw him go, she went to bed, well pleased that she had saved her master and his family.

Ali Baba rose before day, and went to the baths without knowing what had happened in the night.  When he returned he was very much surprised to see the oil jars in the yard and the mules in the stable.

“God preserve you and all your family,” said Morgiana when she was asked what it meant; “you will know better when you have seen what I have to show you.”

So saying she led him to the first jar, and asked him to see if there was any oil.  When he saw a man instead, he started back in alarm.

“Do not be afraid,” said Morgiana; “he can do neither you nor anybody else the least harm.  He is dead.  Now look into all the other jars.”

Ali Baba was more and more amazed as he went on, and saw all the dead men and the sunken oil jar at the end.  He stood looking from the jars to Morgiana, till he found words to ask, “And what is become of the merchant?”

“Merchant!” answered she; “he is as much one as I am.”

Then she led him into the house, and told of all that she had done, from the first noticing of the chalkmark to the death of the robbers and the flight of their captain.  On hearing of these brave deeds from Morgiana’s own lips, Ali Baba said to her,—­

“God, by your means, has delivered me from death.  For the first token of what I owe you, I give you your liberty from this moment till I can fully reward you as I intend.”