The Thief Lord

Answers to Ch. 18-26 questions

1) The street children were watching the home of Ida Spavento because according to the Conte, that was where they were going to steal the wooden wing: they were learning about the layout of the house and the habits of its occupants.

2) Victor had trouble recognizing Prosper and Bo because the two boys had disguised themselves – Prosper with spiky hair and Bo with his blond hair dyed black.

3) The gang succeeded in capturing Victor by using Bo as bait; meanwhile, the others jumped out from the dark in the abandoned movie house, threw Victor to the ground, and tied him up.

4) Victor advised Prosper to go to his aunt and uncle in the hope that they would change their minds and take in both of their nephews.

5) Bo started to cry in front of Victor because he was overwhelmed by concerns for his brother and the feeling that he had taken on a responsibility that was too great for him. He also became sentimental when Victor reminded him of his mother’s love for Venice, the city that turned out to be just as beautiful as she had described.

6) Riccio purposely collided with Ida Spavento’s housekeeper because he was looking for a way to get into the house; by offering to carry the groceries he’d helped to spill, he could gain access and case the premises before the burglary.

7) Prosper, Hornet, and Riccio broke into Victor’s office because they wanted to find out what information the detective had collected on Prosper and Bo (and to take care of Victor’s tortoise).

8) Hornet pretended to be Victor’s secretary because she had no other justifiable reason for being in the detective’s office. When she realized the caller was Mrs. Hartlieb, she tried to convince her that her nephews had left Venice so that both she and her husband would leave the city.

9.) When Scipio’s identity was revealed, the gang felt disappointed and betrayed; they realized he was no clever master thief, but simply a rich boy for whom the street life was an amusing game, rather than a matter of necessity.

10.) Prosper realized that the break-in was riskier than he supposed because it had been orchestrated by a novice. Scipio had never stolen the goods he brought to the children; instead, he had taken them from his own home.

11.) In the note he left behind when he made his escape, Victor promised the gang he would not give away their whereabouts on the condition that they not commit the burglary.