their horses and tied them to trees. The biggest man, whom Ali Baba took to be their captain, went on a little way among some bushes, and said: "Open, Sesame!"* so plainly that Ali Baba heard him.

A door opened in the rocks, and having made the men go in, he followed them, and the door shut. They stayed some time inside, and Ali Baba was forced to sit patiently in the tree.

At last the door opened again, and the Forty Thieves, for that is what they were, came out. As the captain went in last, he came out first, and made them all pass by him. · He then closed the door, saying: Shut, SesEvery man saddled his horse, then

ame!"

they mounted, and rode away.

66

Ali Baba climbed down, went to the door hidden among the bushes, and said: " Open, Sesame!" It flew open. He was greatly surprised to find a large and well-lighted place, dug out by the hand of man in the form of a vault.

He saw rich bales of merchandise all piled together, and gold and silver in heaps. He

*Ses' à me is a kind of grain.

went in, and the door shut behind him. He did not look at the silver, but brought out as many bags of gold as his donkeys could carry. He loaded the gold on their backs, and covered it with branches. Then he said the words: "Shut, Sesame!" The door closed, and he went home.

When he arrived, he carried the bags of gold to his wife, and emptied them out before her. He bade her keep the secret, while he went and buried the gold.

“Let me first measure it," said his wife. "I will go borrow a measure, while you dig the hole." So she ran to the wife of Cassim and borrowed one.

The sister was curious to know what sort of grain Ali Baba had, so she put some grease in the bottom of the measure before she brought it out. Ali Baba's wife went home, taking the measure with her, and filled and emptied it many, many times.

She then carried it back to her sister, without noticing that a piece of gold was sticking to the grease. Cassim's wife soon saw it, however. She grew more curious than ever, and

"Cas

said to Cassim when he came home: sim, your brother is richer than you. He does not count his money; he measures it."

"Ting-a-ling-a-ling," went the telephone bell, interrupting Grandma.

"I will take the message," said Ben, going over to the 'phone.

He took the receiver down, and put it to his ear, saying, "Hello!"

“If Dad will let me go, I shall be there. What day did you say?"

66

Thanksgiving afternoon, three o'clock.

All right."

"What's that?"

"What's that? Bouncer went through the ice to-day! How was that?"

"Skating over thin ice, eh!"

"Who pulled him out?"

"It was lucky he was in a shallow place. Good-by, Billy. See you Thanksgiving Day."

Ben hung up the receiver, and told Grandma and the girls that he had been asked by Blue Billy to play hockey on Thanksgiving Day.

"Bedtime," warned Grandma.

"Goodnights' were exchanged, and the children went off to bed.

TO THE PUPILS: 1. Copy and memorize the first rhyme on page 333.

2. Prepare answers for Billy, pp. 338 and 339. 3. Write the names of the months in order, beginning with January. Write after each, excepting May, June, and July, its abbreviation.

4. Write the abbreviations for the days in the week.

TO THE TEACHER:

The children should be let

ter perfect in Nos. 1, 3 and 4. Test them.