The Thief Lord

At breakfast, Riccio wonders what to do about Victor. Mosca suggests buying an island as their new hideout after they finish this job and then letting Victor go. He plans to take coffee to Victor. Riccio is upset because Victor took away their home. Mosca promises they will find a better home, but Riccio disagrees and cries. Hornet tries to comfort him, but he pushes her away. Prosper volunteers to leave so the others can stay. Hornet and Mosca vehemently protest, saying they all belong together. Bo says they must feed Victor’s other tortoise. 

Mosca and Bo stay with Victor while Prosper, Riccio, and Hornet meet Scipio at Campo Santa Margherita. Scipio doesn’t come, which worries them because he has never missed a meeting. Outside Ida Spavento’s house, Riccio bumps into the housekeeper, causing her shopping bags to fall. Riccio apologizes and offers to help. The housekeeper invites him inside, and he emerges later with ice cream. Riccio reports to Hornet and Prosper that there are no bars on the doors and that there’s a door leading directly from the garden into the kitchen. He’s convinced the job will be easy, but Hornet isn’t sure. They wait a little longer for Scipio before leaving to feed the tortoise.

The tortoise halfheartedly eats lettuce from Hornet and Prosper while Riccio sulks and tries on Victor’s disguises. Prosper and Hornet look through Victor’s desk until the phone rings. Prosper finds the picture of him and Bo that Esther gave Victor. The phone rings again. Prosper finds Victor’s notes on his case, and Hornet reads that Victor doesn’t like Max and Esther. The phone rings again, and Hornet answers as Victor’s secretary: It’s Esther, and she explains that Victor sent her a picture and claimed to have new information on the boys. Hornet insists the boys left Venice. Esther tells Hornet she will meet Victor on Tuesday at the Hotel Sandwirth and hangs up. The children put Victor’s office back together, take the tortoise, and leave for the hideout, depressed about Esther’s information and Scipio’s absence. 

Bo opens the hideout door while Victor shows Mosca how to repair his radio. Riccio is upset to find Victor untied and Mosca fraternizing with him. Victor explains that he gave his word of honor that he wouldn’t run away. Bo thinks Victor is their friend. Riccio knows Scipio will agree with him. Victor asks the children what they know about Scipio, and they tell him the Thief Lord legend; he ran away from an orphanage at eight, and an old man taught him to steal. Victor scoffs at the story, causing Riccio to get defensive and mention Barbarossa’s job. Victor claims Scipio is lying, and Riccio punches him. Prosper grabs Riccio as Victor asks how they met Scipio. Riccio says that Scipio caught him stealing from him. Riccio then brought Scipio to meet Hornet and Mosca in an old, wet basement in a bad part of town. Scipio brought them to the Stella and started taking care of them.

Bo tells Victor that they’ll have more money soon because they’re going to steal a wooden wing. Victor scolds Prosper for “looking after” Bo by teaching him to steal. Riccio blames Victor for all their problems and for needing a new hideout. Victor swears he won’t reveal their hideout but warns them that the police will catch them if they do this job. Riccio has faith in Scipio, but Victor reiterates that Scipio is lying and gives them Scipio’s address. They leave Victor to repair the radio.

Prosper, Bo, Mosca, Riccio, and Hornet go to the address Victor gave them even though Riccio complains about spying on Scipio. They are amazed to find a grand house. Prosper and Bo ring the bell while the others hang back. A maid lets Prosper and Bo in to play with Scipio. Scipio appears at the top of the stairs, and Bo runs toward him. The doctor tells Scipio to do his lessons, which Scipio says don’t start for an hour. The doctor tells Scipio to play with Prosper and Bo in his room and leaves.

Bo is shocked to learn Scipio has a father and asks about his mother. Scipio says she travels a lot. Scipio tries to placate Prosper, who tells him he’ll explain everything later. He pulls away from Prosper, who is trying to pull him outside to see the other children, and blames Victor. He promises to come to the theater tonight and tells Prosper the break-in can happen the next night as planned. Prosper yells at him, guessing that he’s never stolen anything from outside of his own house. He gives Scipio one more chance to tell the others, but Scipio runs upstairs. Outside, Prosper tells the others that Scipio lied to them about everything. The children are crushed and return home.

Victor picks the lock on the bathroom door with tools hidden in his shoes and writes a message on the wall—a promise that he won’t tell the Hartliebs anything unless he hears of any strange break-ins, and that he will see the children again. He thinks about searching for his gun and wallet but doesn’t want to risk the children returning, so he takes his tortoises and leaves.