But the plan the envious young men made against him was frustrated, for in addition to his own foresight and bravery the Caliph’s brother and the Grand Vizier’s son came to his assistance as soon as they saw him surrounded by half a dozen opponents, all of whom were trying to unhorse him. Together they scattered the whole troop and the Caliph’s brother threatened to expel the treacherous young men from the lists. For over four months Said continued thus to prove his bravery to the astonishment of all Bagdad, when one night as he was on his way home from the place of combat he heard some voices which sounded familiar. Four men were in front of him, walking slowly and apparently discussing something of great moment. [Illustration: _Said approached them quietly._ (P. 309.)] Said approached them quietly and then discovered that they were speaking in the dialect spoken by Selim’s robber horde, and he suspected that they were probably planning a robbery. His first impulse was to make off as fast as he could, but on consideration he decided to listen to what they were saying in the hope of preventing some mischief. “The porter distinctly said the street on the right-hand side of the Bazaar,” said one; “he will pass down it to-night with the Grand Vizier.” “Good,” replied the other, “I am not afraid of the Grand Vizier, he is old and no particular hero; but the Caliph will show fight, besides I do not trust him. There will be a dozen or so bodyguards following him, I’ll be bound.” “Not one soul,” answered a third. “Whenever he has been seen at night it was always either with the Vizier or the Chamberlain alone. To-night he must be ours; but he is not to be harmed.” “I think the best we can do is to throw a lassoo over his head. He must not be killed, for we should not get much of a ransom for his corpse, if we had anything at all.” “Then one hour before midnight!” they all said together, and parted, each in a different direction. Said was not a little alarmed and at first started off to warn the Caliph, but remembering what the fairy had said about Kalum-Bek having poisoned his mind against him he determined to rely upon his own good sword to assist him. So instead of returning to Kalum-Bek’s house he sat down upon the steps of a mosque to await the hour before midnight. Shortly before the time he went and hid himself in the porch of a house in the street the robbers had mentioned. Presently two men came strolling down the street whom he took at first to be the Caliph and his Vizier; but when they came opposite to him they clapped their hands softly and two others came hurrying to join them. They whispered awhile and parted, three hiding themselves in another porch, not far from Said, and one walking up and down the road. The night was very dark, but quiet, and so Said had to trust to his sharp ears alone. [Illustration: _The fourth, seeing what had happened, fled._ (P. 312.)]