The Thief Lord

Scipio gets lost twice before finding the Isola Segreta. The boys hear the dogs, and Scipio tells Prosper they’ll try the back way, though Prosper is unconvinced. Scipio sails around looking for a weak spot in the wall. After finding none, he gets impatient, drops anchor, and tells Prosper they’ll climb over. They row a dinghy to shore and hide the boat in the reeds. The boys then climb to the top of the wall and see an overgrown garden but no merry-go-round. They climb down and walk along a path until two mastiffs corner them. A young girl calls the dogs and finds Scipio and Prosper. Scipio demands to see the Conte and ride the merry-go-round. The girl is amused by Scipio’s demands, given that the boys are trapped on the island. She leads them to some old stables, telling them to sleep there and saying they can see the Conte in the morning. Scipio gets angry, but Prosper pulls him inside so the dogs won’t kill him. The girl locks them in and leaves the dogs outside. The boys find sacks against the wall and put them on wooden barrels to avoid the rats. Scipio insists the Conte will let them ride the merry-go-round, but Prosper thinks of Bo and wonders if he’ll see him again.

Esther calls Victor after midnight, distraught about Bo’s behavior. He ran away, but she and Max don’t want him back because he pulled the tablecloth off in a nice restaurant and got them thrown out of their hotel for screaming. Esther tells Victor that she and her husband are leaving and that the boys can go to an orphanage if they’re found. Victor is angry when he finds out Bo has been on his own for a few hours. He hangs up when Esther tries to defend herself. He walks to the Stella, where he finds Bo crying about the other children and his kittens being gone. Victor tells him the other children are at Ida’s house, and Bo asks Victor to take him. A watchman finds them, so Victor lies that Bo is his son and wanted to investigate a kitten sighting. The man tells Victor and Bo to leave. Bo is upset the curtain has been cut down, so Victor cuts off a scrap for him. Victor picks up Bo, who falls asleep on the way to Ida’s house.

Ida lets Victor in, where he is surprised to find Hornet, Mosca, and Riccio awake. He puts a sleeping Bo on the couch as they explain that Prosper left. Victor lights a fire and tells Ida and the children how he found Bo. Ida is upset at Esther’s treatment of the boys. Victor calls the Hotel Sandwirth asking about Prosper, but he’s not there. Victor is tired and lies down in Prosper’s bed. Nobody except Bo sleeps.

Prosper and Scipio wake to the girl opening the stable door and saying her brother wants to see them. Scipio and Prosper follow her and the dogs into the manor house to a room filled with toys. A boy named Renzo is playing there. Renzo, the Conte, recognizes the Thief Lord and apologizes for the fake money, saying it was Barbarossa’s idea because the Conte couldn’t pay them. Scipio is amazed that the merry-go-round works. Renzo thanks the Thief Lord for his help, but Renzo’s sister, Morosina, wants to know how they knew about the carousel. Scipio tells them Ida told them about it, and Prosper lies that Victor and Ida know the boys are on the island. Morosina is upset, but Renzo agrees to let the boys ride the merry-go-round as payment for the wing. He and Morosina wanted to become young because the Valaressos stole their youth from them: While the noble children played, he and Morosina were forced to work. Morosina knows Scipio is from a noble family and wonders why he wants to ride the carousel when he has everything. Scipio explains that his parents treat him like he’s “stupid” and that he wants to control his own destiny. Renzo agrees to take him to the merry-go-round.

Renzo leads Scipio and Prosper behind the house through a labyrinth of hedges. Renzo is puzzled when he hears the main gate bell because Barbarossa is supposed to come the next day for his payment—the old toys. The bell stops and the dogs bark, so Renzo decides it was a tourist boat. He plans to be gone when Barbarossa comes the next day. Renzo never told him about the merry-go-round because Barbarossa would’ve told everyone. Renzo and Morosina came to the island when they were little, and it’s been there as long as they can remember. After the Valaressos lost their money and left, Renzo and Morosina found work in Venice and heard stories of the magical merry-go-round. Renzo realized the Valaressos had stolen it from the Merciful Sisters. He returned to the island and searched until he found the missing wing. After Scipio gave them the wing, Morosina and Renzo rode the carousel and became young.

Scipio and Prosper follow Renzo through two dense bushes to the merry-go-round. Renzo explains that each animal works in a different way, so they must pick carefully. Scipio climbs on the seahorse and urges Prosper to come, but Prosper tells Scipio to go first. Renzo hears the dogs howling and becomes concerned about Morosina. Scipio insists Renzo start the merry-go-round and Renzo gives him grown-up clothes to change into. Renzo tells Scipio he must decide at which age to jump off the ride and wonders if Scipio is sure of his decision. Scipio says he can ride again if he changes his mind. Scipio pleads with Prosper to ride too, but Prosper refuses again. Renzo pushes the carousel, and Scipio zooms by until Renzo yells at him to jump off. The merry-go-round stops, and Renzo and Prosper find what looks to be a younger version of Scipio’s father with Scipio’s smile. He hugs Prosper, laughs at his new strength, and picks up Renzo. They hear voices.

Barbarossa drags Morosina into the clearing by her pigtails. Barbarossa is angry when he sees the carousel, expecting diamonds and pearls. Scipio struts out to meet a shocked Barbarossa, who thinks he’s Dottor Massimo. Scipio claims he’s on city business looking to buy the merry-go-round, and Barbarossa realizes it’s the legendary magical one. Scipio asks if Barbarossa wants to ride and waves Prosper and Renzo out. Morosina tells Renzo that Barbarossa poisoned the dogs, so he sends her to give the dogs medicine. Barbarossa climbs on the lion, and Scipio orders Renzo and Prosper to start the merry-go-round. They shove it so it rotates at a breakneck pace. Barbarossa screams and kicks a lion’s wing off. It bounces and hits Prosper’s arm. Barbarossa, now a boy, slides off the stopped merry-go-round in shock.

Renzo shoves Barbarossa for breaking the lion’s wing. Scipio finds the splintered wing behind a bush and suggests making another one. Renzo claims a new one won’t work; the Valaressos tried but it won’t work without the original. Barbarossa appeals to Scipio as Dottor Massimo to help. Scipio tells Barbarossa he’s the Thief Lord and blames Barbarossa for ruining being an adult for him; he no longer has the option to return to being a child. Barbarossa threatens to tell the police if he doesn’t help get the carousel working. Scipio tells him the police won’t believe a child. Renzo goes to check on the dogs, and Barbarossa realizes Renzo is the Conte. Barbarossa decides to leave and find a carpenter to make the carousel work. Scipio tells Barbarossa he’ll be going to the Merciful Sisters orphanage since his parents are dead. Barbarossa struggles, but Scipio throws him over his shoulder and carries him to the house. At the house, Renzo says the dogs will recover and threatens Barbarossa with death unless he gives him all the cash in his shop. Barbarossa begrudgingly agrees.