"THE HUNT FOR THE CZAR'S CROWN" "Hey Pietje, I'll get you, don't move!" " I don't think so!" "You missed!" "What's that noise!" "Go take a look." "Hurry!" "That must have been your work, Pietje Bell!" "I couldn't help it, Joseph." "My father ducked." "We're having a party." "Some party, wrecking other people's things!" "I'll pay for it." "My sister Martha is enraged." " Enraged?" "Not enraged, Pietje, engaged." "Martha got engaged, Joseph." "What!" " Yes." "To Paul Velinga." "Joseph, have you heard?" "I'm getting engaged." "Are you sure?" "Yes, she's sure." "Look at my lovely ring." "Better than a cheap second-hand one, isn't it?" "Hello, Joseph." " Hello, Paul." "Eh, congratulations on, on..." "And, did you see anything?" "It sounded like broken glass." "No, nothing." "Eusebius Geelman?" "What a name." "We've been robbed!" "Oh, we've been robbed!" "Wake up, lazybones, all our money has been stolen from the till." "And my gold watch!" "I hid it so nobody could see how rich I was." "The thief just smashed a window and opened the door." "Pietje." " What!" "Pietje broke the window." " Say no more, I know enough!" "That boy is in hot water." "I won't have it!" "And not from you either!" "Get out of bed." "And fast!" "What a noise on Sunday morning!" "Where's the Bell family?" " At Aunt Cato's." "Pietje is home." "Ah, he's the one we want." " But he's still asleep." "Wake up." "You're suspected of theft." "What, again?" "Look at me, I'm a hedgehog." "Hey you, keep on working!" "You can chatter at home in 10 years time, when you're released." "What about him?" " Not him." "I'd like to sit around reading the paper." "We can arrange that, as long as you pay." "It isn't fair, he's a millionaire." "And newspaper tycoon." "Right!" "And you're nothing at all." "Ten years for petty theft." "It wasn't murder!" "All this fuss about a few pieces of glass." "Never exchange diamonds for pieces of glass, my dear Clock." "Someone tricked me before." "And I'm telling you, someone will have to pay for that." "Look, it's Pietje Bell." " The hero of Rotterdam." "They're waving like a millionaire." "Come here, you!" "You wait!" "You, your ginger friend and the whole Black Hand Gang!" "It's your fault I'm stuck in here." " Hey, Stark, cool it, man!" "And I'll call the newspaper right away!" "So you're Pietje Bell?" "I'm Police Inspector Pike." "And this is the prison governor, Mr Brownlock." "You know why you're here." "I wanted to see a prison from inside." "So you admit it?" " That depends." "What's it all about?" "The burglary from Geelman, the chemist." " I don't know, Mr Bike." "My name is Pike, not Bike, and don't pick your nose." "Geelman saw everything." " But I didn't do a thing!" "You look like a very cheeky boy, to me." "He'll change his tune after a day in jail." "Blackpot can't lock me up!" "The name is Brownlock, and I'm the boss around here." "You, come here." "And be quiet, I don't want no lip!" "PIETJE BELL IN JAIL" "Pietje, can you hear me?" "It's me, the father of Willem, of Freckle." "The newspaper is a gift from Stark." "Have you read it?" "Yes, all lies, as usual." "I said I didn't do it but Kite and Browndog don't believe me." "Nobody believes me." " I do, I believe you." "Do you ever see Freckle, these days?" "Of course, he is my friend." "How is he?" "Okay." "Could you ask him to come and visit me?" "Why don't you ask him yourself?" "How should I do that?" " Just write him a letter." "I can write one letter a week and they all come back unopened." "Look at that, someone's trying to escape!" "You always play the boss, but you can't just hit me!" "Don't be a fool, you hit me first." "Yes, now I really felt something." "Sorry." "No, no." "Stop that, all of you!" "Stop it, get back in line!" "Hey guards, didn't I tell you someone was trying to escape." "I'm out of here." "Bye" " Bye." "We found this on him." "Geelman's watch." "The boy is innocent." "Release Pietje Bell, at once!" " It's too late for that." "Pardon me?" " He escaped." "The bird has flown." "How could that happen?" "!" "Well, it is Pietje Bell, isn't it?" "I want a full report, on my desk tomorrow morning!" "Mouths shut." "Don't you start!" "My name's Brownlock." "No, we should keep our mouths shut." "Like..." "No:" "Pike, the name is Pike." "No, I mean I like the plan." "You wanted to keep your mouths shut about this?" "That'll be an attractive headline." "Take this..." "Round your neck." "I know who you are." " You do?" "You're leader of the Black Hand that gives everything away." "Can girls join your gang too?" "No girls." "Hey, baldy, they released me, because I didn't do it!" "And now they're coming for you." "I can hear them coming." "Dirty poisoners." "What are you screaming about?" " Dad, I'm scared." "Go to your room, now!" "It looks like a bomb went off here." "Pietje has escaped from prison." " It's a disgrace!" "But he can't be far." "He just caused an enormous explosion in my shop." "I'm ruined." "Grab him!" "Where am I?" "You ghostly ghastly boy." "You broke into my house again!" "Where's my watch?" "Stop your wild accusations, or I'll arrest you." "Understood?" "Pietje Bell is innocent." "...have to leave their dear teacher, Mr Geelman and will be taught by Mr Ster." "What kept you?" "We've got a new teacher." "Look, that old man." "He's called Mr Ster." " Anything is better than Joseph Geelman." "Isn't he nice, he's our new teacher?" "Joseph is very nice." "Listen carefully and take him as an example." "What's a example?" "Do what he does, okay?" "Dear children..." " Like this:" "Dear children..." "Now you!" " What's all that?" "What's all that." "Be quiet!" " Be quiet." "Silence!" "You can't laugh here!" " Silence!" "You can't laugh here!" "Will you stop making a fool of me!" "I'm not!" "Pietje told me to take you as an example." "Pietje Bell!" "Leave the room at once!" "Come now, my dear colleague, don't overreact." "The boy gave a very wise advice." "Only it was taken too literally." "Sit down again, Pietje." "Right, I'll start again, then." "Freckle, I saw your father, yesterday." "What!" " Your father, in prison." "Don't go to my father behind my back!" "I didn't." "He wants to see you." " Forget it!" "But he wants to talk to you." "Well, I don't want to talk to him!" "What's the harm in it?" " More harm than you think!" "He's still your father." " I never want to see him again!" "Pieter Bell!" "You are left in my care now, and I will teach you from now on." "I know you're a troublesome pupil." "In fact, the whole city knows." " It depends which paper you read." "PIETJE BEL INNOCENT" "You mean there's two sides to every story?" "We can be good friends, Pietje." "I'm strict, but laughing isn't forbidden here." "My father says that too." " What?" "You can't live without laughter." " Your father is a very wise man." "Now sit down and pay attention." "I never say things twice." "I beg your pardon, Sir?" " I never say things twice." "But you just did!" "Go and sit down and keep your mouth shut." "That was a joke." " Shut your mouth." "Silence, silence." "Silence, silence!" "I open the meeting of the Black Hand." "Listen because I never say anything twice." "About Martha and Paul's engagement..." "I have a plan." "That can't be any good." "Angel pays a cent fine for arguing." "The treasurer has to take note." "I didn't argue, I just said that can't be bad." "That's not what I heard and I'm not deaf." "Another word and you'll pay an extra cent." " But I..." "Shut up or you'll cause a draught." "I've got a plan." " You said that twice!" "Freckle is fined a cent for interrupting." "You expect us to bring bags of money?" "I know you haven't got anything." "I'll pay for you as usual." "I don't want your money, I'II pay!" "Don't be so bossy!" "I'm not bossy, I am the boss!" "But if you'd rather be gang leader be my guest." "Let's vote." "Who wants another gang leader?" "No one wants a new leader." "We'll have a great party, I'll take care of the programme." "But don't do your magic act!" "What's wrong with that?" "Your mother can't spare a cent." " But I have to pay my fine!" "It's the rules!" " You made the rules." "You can change them." "Hurry, we have to go to the dump." " No, not the dump." "There's a new delivery." "But it stinks." "We might find good things." "Why not search for food at the market?" "That's stealing." " Finders keepers!" "Boys, you know what your mother said:" "if you steal, you go to jail." "Paul, shall we put the crown on the front page?" "What crown?" "The Romanov imperial crown on show for 2 months in the Rotterdam Museum." "Money makes the world go round." "That's no news." "The Slump will put everyone out of work." "What do you mean?" "Our American parent company is in deep trouble." "If they go down, we'll go down too and I'll have to sack everybody." "What'll they do?" "They want my help." "I worked there for ten years." "You're going?" "What else can I do?" "Watch the business fail?" "You're getting engaged!" "That's another problem!" "How can I tell Martha?" "It looks like a haunted house!" "Are you scared?" "Not if you're around." "And what if I'm not around?" "Then I wouldn't dare live here!" "Martha I, eh..." "I'm only joking." "The house is lovely!" "It'll be done up in a few months." "I can't wait till we get married and live here." "It's awful!" "He may have a private cell, and a private dining table but I think he misses us." " Yeah, like a hole in the head!" "He's watching us all the time." "He doesn't like you." "He said he paid for all those facilities because he couldn't stand the sight of you." "Shut up!" " Clock and Teun, come with me." "Can't you see I'm eating?" " Come with me, now!" "Can I bring my plate?" "Hurry up and do as you're told." "Since when are you so obedient?" "FAMOUS CZAR'S CROWN" "This way." "Keep going!" "You'll do a special night shift." "Orders from the governor." "And when do we sleep?" "During the day." " What about my clothespegs?" "My pal and me are honoured by this special assignment." "One more thing, what's the right direction?" "The north..." "And where is the north?" "It's the side where the sun never shines." "That's a good one." "Because there are no windows and it's night." "What are those shovels for?" "Pietje, do me a favour and be a very good boy today." "I promise, Martha, today will be unforgettable." "Eusebius, welcome." "Oh, look at this!" "That must be the work of your son, again." "Pietje, what did you do?" "Surprise!" " Ha ha, what a rascal that boy is." "It's a disgrace, always sneaking inside to wreck and disrupt everything." "I'm glad my Joseph..." "Joseph!" "Did you call?" "Ah, there's our Pietje." " Ah, there's our Aunt Cato." "Did you just turn up your nose at me?" " Oh no aunt, I wouldn't dare." "You saw the lady with the nose?" "She looks like a Christmas tree, and stinks of perfume." "Do you know her?" " No." "What a nose!" "Can you take his picture?" "What does Martha think about America?" " Not so loud!" "I haven't told anyone." "I didn't want to spoil her engagement party." "It's your party as well." " Yes, but you know women." "If you were married, she could go too." " No thanks." "The sooner I finish the better." "So I need a free hand." "You know." "I do." "You'll have to work day and night." "Now you won't mind being alone." "I hope I can save the company." "I desperately need the toilets." "Follow your nose, the toilets are upstairs." "When do you leave?" " Three days from now." "What!" "A party like this must be expensive." "Joseph, just be glad to let that cup pass." "But I'm very thirsty." "Don't sulk." "Have a dance." "You took an expensive course!" "A dance, it must be 40 years since I had a dance..." "Well ask my son to dance." "You can't be worse than him." "Dad, the boy has to ask the girl!" "You can hardly call her a girl!" "Attack!" "A clean plate is a joy forever!" " So I see." "Skip my laces?" "That was quick!" " My toes are black and blue." "And I'm hungry." "I'm always in for a free lunch." "That's nothing to be proud of." "My plate, it's empty." "The waitress took it away just a minute ago." "What are you doing here?" " The same as you." "You can't join in, it's our game." "You think you're the only one who can tie laces?" "Oh oh, aunt Cato." " She's got a hole in her sock." "To let the smell out!" "And now, polonaise." "Pietje Bell!" "Why did they lock us up in here?" "Your sister gets engaged only once." " Exactly." "A girl wanted to join the Black Hand." "Sophie or something?" "Tell her she can't!" "Did we decide that or are you being bossy again?" "Our special show will be cancelled too." "Let us out of here!" "Okay, the battering ram!" "Here I have a gold watch." "I put in on this stone take a hammer and don't crush the watch but give it to Martha because I owe her one." "It's actually a gift from Paul, he paid for it." "And because my sister has been stolen from me by her fiancé I'll conjure up a new sister!" "Hocus" " Pocus..." "Here's my new sister." "And I also need a new fiancé because that one is leaving for America in three days leaving my sister behind." " This part is no fun!" "My sister will be alone for months!" "I'm sorry, I should have told you." "What!" "So it's true!" "And so, I'll find her a new fiancé." "Who wants to be her new fiancé?" "Me, me!" " One at a time, please!" "Plenty of fish in the sea." "Nobody wants to marry you, sit down." "No!" " Joseph, you'll be her new fiancé." "Where does this come from?" " Pietje left the bath running!" "Tell me it isn't true." "I can't." "I'm leaving in three days time." " Bastard!" "I should have told you." " I'd have called off the wedding!" "Hey, Waterman, nice party, isn't it?" "You made this party a complete washout, you nasty child!" "How will your father pay for all the damage you caused?" "And who gets the blame again?" "If you were thinner we could dig a narrower tunnel." "Don't pick on me." "And I'm not fat!" "No, but digging the tunnel takes twice as long, thanks to you." "Why are we digging in the dirt down here, actually." "Can't Brownlock just free us?" "The governor wants to keep out of sight, Clock." "I can't see him!" "?" "I'll ask Stark for a raise." " Why?" "Because you are so incredibly stupid." "Pietje..." "Did you get told off?" "They locked me in the coal shed." " And Martha?" "Not with her." " No!" "I mean, how is she?" "Not too good." "My mother says she broke something." "Her heart?" " No, the engagement." "Martha cried all night and Paul rang the doorbell all night." "But nobody wanted to open the door for that bastard." "It can happen in the best of families." "What?" " That you won't speak to a bastard." "You and your father, that's different." "Your father regrets what he did." " And Paul doesn't?" "954 divided by 9" "749 divided by 7" "621 divided by 3" "PIETJE BELL CAUSES A FLOOD" "I told you:" "you read the wrong newspaper." "I was there." " I didn't leave the tap running." "It's true, he didn't do it." " Yes he did!" "Ah, the beauty of friendship:" "to stick together no matter what." "As it happens, I saw that the tap was turned off when you left the bathroom." "Did they punish you?" " Yes sir, terrible." "I'll speak to your father." "Remember, a party without any jokes is so boring." "Skip my laces." "Spoilsports are a bore." "Hello Paul." "Not getting on well with the ladies, are you?" "I hear Martha crying every night." "Thin walls, eh, I sleep right next to her." "And that's a position I won't give up easily." "When are you leaving?" " The boat sails tomorrow." "And when do you return?" " Sooner than you think!" "It's nice of you to say good" " Bye." "The family will appreciate that!" "I'm going to America because I must." "Not that I want to." "But I'll be back." "And then I'll marry Martha." "Is that clear?" "You'll have to deal with me." "Nobody else wants to speak to you." "I gathered..." "Pictures of the party and a letter for Martha..." "Say I won't bother her, I'm leaving tomorrow." "Okay, bye" " Bye, then." "Why are you treating my sister this way?" "She didn't deserve it." "Pietje, I love your sister, believe me." "Then why leave her alone?" " Just give her the letter." "Paul, wait!" "Three guesses whose this is." "It's yours." " Indeed." "How come they're so dirty?" " It's from the tunnel." "What tunnel?" " The one we're digging." "I shouldn't tell you this, it's a secret." "It's safe with me." " I know!" "I know, but Teun says Stark wants to keep you out." "Jan Lampe, you have a visitor." " I do?" "Who is it?" "I don't know, a boy about ten." " Willem." "You hoped it was Freckle, of course, but he won't come." "Maybe I expect the impossible." "A father who wants to see his son, that isn't strange." "Do you think so?" "I think your father is a good father." "Willem had to put up with me." "I don't know when it went wrong, but then it just got worse." "I don't think there's any way back." " There's always a way back." "I'm in here for ten more years." "When I get out, Freckle will have grown up." "If I see my son in the street I won't recognise him." "Every day I think about my children and miss them." "I made a mess of it." "Look what I found: a whole cup." "Are there any more?" "I see our guest is recovering?" "What happened?" "Are we at sea?" "No, we're anchored in the safe harbour." "We aren't going anywhere." " Not to America?" "This isn't exactly a 5" " Star hotel, but it costs just as much." "An offer I couldn't refuse." "Welcome in prison." "I must say, I'm glad to see you here." "And it was so easy to get you here." "One cry for help from America did the trick." "So that message was a fake." "And I fell for it." "Believe me, that can happens to all of us sometimes." "What do you want of me?" "Very simple..." "I want your newspaper." "I already told you, my company isn't for sale." "But I don't intend to pay for it, I want it for nothing!" "Forget it." "Think about it." "You haven't got anything else to do, here." "Outside, time flies, but in here, it crawls." "You'll come to me of your own accord." "One more thing:" "You can shout, but no one can hear you here." "This cell is entirely isolated from the rest." "One request..." "Can I read the paper?" "Maybe we should grant him that request." "His own newspaper." "For as long as it takes." "Freckle, I've been to your father." "They locked you up again?" " No, I visited him." "You're crazy!" " Don't talk about him, Willem." "Talk about who?" "He's been to prison." "I can't forbid you to go." "But never again talk to Freckle about him." " Why not?" "He misses you all." "He should have realised that before." "I can't make ends meet." "I leave my children with a cousin who's 14 because I have to work to save our skins." "Mama missed you so." "And how long haven't you seen him, then?" "One day?" "Watch out!" "The other house wasn't big enough?" "That house was rented, we bought this one." "Any news from America?" " No." "Ah well, out of sight, out of heart!" "He's been gone over a month now, hasn't he?" "The mail packets take a long time." "I decided to drop by." "You don't want to live here!" "It's the most beautiful house I've ever seen." "Far too fashionable." "It's still a mess." " For people like us, I mean." "Like you and me." " Exactly, like you and me." "Our two lives run parallel." "We're the same age, neighbours, we teach at the same school." "Our fathers have always been the best of friends." "You really think so, Joseph?" " Yes, Martha." "Your father is a terrific man." "A bit less terrific than my father." "Quite a bit, actually." "But not a bad man." "Forget Paul!" "You and I belong together." "Members of the Black Hand, we have a special mission." "We have to keep Joseph away from my sister." "I don't yet know how." "Any ideas?" "Joseph breaks a leg and he can't follow her on crutches." "How do we break his leg?" "I know!" "We hide his glasses so he can't find Martha." "Or we write to Paul telling him to come back quick." "Enough letters are returned to sender." "You know that only too well!" " Don't go on about my father!" "The Black Hand has to take action." "But how?" "If you want Joseph to leave your sister alone, find him another woman." "And who are you?" "Klaas, he wants to join too." "Why didn't we discuss it before?" " We can do now!" "But why was he hiding?" "He was checking our security." "Not too good, it seems." "Okay then." "New members have 3 months probation." "Sit there." "But Kaas had a good idea." "It sure is." "How do we find Joseph a woman?" "In the street." " In the asylum?" "At school." "Not at school!" " Silence!" "I know!" "Let's try the newspaper!" "You want to place an ad:" "man seeks woman?" "Yes, what does it cost?" "And in which section?" "I don't know." "People look for jobs and houses and stray dogs..." "But this is different." "You're looking for a bride to be." "Well, call it a bride to be ad." "Sounds awful!" "It's quite unusual" " But it's for a good cause." "Think of your boss." "Okay, I'll put it in, as an experiment." "It's free, but you have to write it yourself." "There's a strange message from America." "Paul never arrived." "Never arrived?" "And they never asked for him to come anyway." "I don't understand." "Has your sister heard from him?" " No. " "Then where can he be?" "Ugly, hypocritical meddler seeks mean grumbling woman." "Glasses: no problem." " Has to be a good dancer." "Must have dance diploma!" "We have to approve her." "Only the best has a chance." "Where will we do that?" "Okay... place and time." "If any sport deserves to be called classical it is discus" " Throwing." "Profession: sneaky schoolmaster enjoys bullying children." "His lessons are excruciatingly boring." "Always spits in your face when he talks." " Pietje?" "Isn't history interesting?" "Or are you doing something else?" "Well?" "What was I talking about?" "Give me your copy book." "You can clean the blackboard." "I hope this text isn't about me." "Oh no, you're a fine teacher but a little old." "Please tell me if I can help you." "You can fill the inkpots" "Sir, what happens when you leave, but you never arrive." "Where are you then?" "I'd say you're still on your way." " Or have you disappeared?" "You disappear when you are nowhere." "As long as you're somewhere, you haven't disappeared." "And if you can't find somebody?" " Then look." "We're looking for a wife for Joseph, that's the ad for in the paper." "A wife for Joseph?" "You have to promote him!" "Stress his better side." "Does he have one?" " Of course he has positive features." "You mean exaggerate!" " Otherwise no one will respond." "Oh yes, he knows a 100 poems by heart, he's so scholarly." "And as handsome as his father." "But his mother was ugly." "God rests her soul." "He was never in trouble with the cops, not like some around here!" "And he's never been in the papers." " That might change." "Never, he is much too good for that." "I beat the mischief out of him!" "He can darn anything, he mends his own socks and mine, and he's very..." "He's got very strange teeth." "...thrifty" "How old is he?" " 26." "Liquorice?" "Handsome, scholarly man age 26, that's a six and a two profession: school teacher can darn anything, still living with his sweet, thrifty father." "...who always gives liquorice to the boy next door seeks sweet, attractive wife, not too stupid but very thrifty." "What a strange advertisement to put in the paper..." "It's an idea by Pietje Bell." " This'll never work." "Look at me, laughing." "There's nothing to laugh about." "Dad..." "Can I take these?" "They're dear, you don't need them on the beach." "At his age, he does!" "Martha, hurry, we're going!" "Still no letter from America." "He'll write to you, Martha." "He's probably very busy." "Freckle, you take this." "Let's go." " Have fun." "Such a nice young man, that Joseph, and so interested." "He'd be a suitable husband." "You didn't tell him where we're going?" " Of course not." "What's that stench in here?" "Where are you going?" "To the beach." "You don't even have a swimsuit." " I do." "I knitted one myself, in secret." "What do you see?" " Plenty of candidates." "I've got a sun stroke!" " What?" "It's Joseph!" " No!" "What a coincidence, meeting you here!" "Shall I flop myself down then?" "Nothing nicer than a day at the beach." "Oops, sorry." "You know what Martha loves, Joseph?" "A pit to sit in, like the Germans always dig." "But close to the sea is best isn't it, Martha?" "Yes, it is indeed." "Well, what are you waiting for?" " What a pity Paul isn't here." "Nothing as romantic as a man digging a pit for you." "Close to the sea." "What are you doing here?" "This cubicle is for ladies!" "I was just picking up my wife's bag." "My clothes are gone!" " Did you check properly?" "I saw a man with spectacles and knitted trunks who took a bag." "Joseph." "I knew there was something fishy." "It's so embarrassing!" "Nobody'll recognize you, you look like Aunt Cato." "That's just it!" "If only I could get rid of that terrible Joseph!" "Two weeks from now the Czar's crown will be transported from the Rotterdam Museum to the harbour, to be shipped to America." "We're going to stop that." "Why do you need a crown?" "To stick on your head?" "I'll dump the crown in the trash, I only want the diamond on top." "That stone is worth at least a million." "Keep digging, you two." "When I get out of here, I'll take care of your dear son." "Teun, can you see freedom?" "I must admit, it's quite an experience, Clock." "Let me have a look as well." "It's a bit disappointing." "I still see four walls." "It's because we ended up in the governor's office, Clock!" "Next time, let's just ask for the key." "How long have we been waiting?" "Three minutes." " No, at least five minutes." "A woman's coming!" "Someone's coming!" "False alarm!" "Sorry boys, false alarm." "You and your stupid newspaper!" "Goodness me!" "I sing scales all day long, like this." "Joseph doesn't like that." "How strange are his teeth exactly?" "How long did the 80 Years War last?" "No idea, I didn't finish primary school." "Take a guess." " Five years?" "Wrong!" "You think I'm stupid?" " Not at all." "It's the Slump." " How thrifty are you?" "Very." "I scrape chewing gum from the ground and put it in my mouth." "That isn't thrifty, that's disgusting." "I don't wash, iron, cook, sew, knit or darn things..." "I can't do a thing, I need a housekeeper, I don't make beds." "I don't mop, scrub, shop..." "We're lucky with our mothers, aren't we?" "What can you do, except cackle?" "How old do you think I am?" " Hundred?" "I'm really 75, but I still look like 47 still very suitable for a young man of 62." "62?" " Joseph is 26!" "Send them all home, they're all too old!" "What a terrible journey, I had to change trams five times!" "Public transport these days!" "Am I too late?" "Nice house." "My, my, Joseph." " Hello, Cato." "I'm here for the advertisement." " Which one?" "Man seeks thrifty woman." " What man?" "The man of the hundred poems." "Is that you?" "How do you know?" "The Black Hand!" " Pietje." "Pietje Bell!" "He made a complete fool of me!" "Where is everybody?" "Take it easy, Joseph." "What's the matter?" " This!" "But it's very nice of Pietje." "I didn't know you thought that way?" "It was Mr Ster's idea." "He says you're not as bad as you look." "I agree, Joseph." "Did you find a suitable candidate, Pietje?" "No, it was a disaster, we'll have to start all over again." "Sometimes you look in the wrong places when it was right in front of you all the time." "Just like that, within reach." "Annie would you like to go out with me?" "All requests for the new small ads." " They all want personal contact." "Good name:" "Personals." "Pietje Bell struck a gold mine." "Give Pietje a reward, one to make him happy." "Freckle, tell us the score." " The sum total of fines is 2.73 guilders." "Not enough, the statue costs 15." "What, that much?" "We have to live on that for a month." "But it's a present for Mr Ster." " He already has everything." "He's the best school teacher I ever had." "Then you buy the statue." "I vote against." " Me too!" "Okay, let's vote, except Kaas." " Why not?" "He's not a member yet." " Ridiculous!" "Who's votes for the statue?" "And who's against?" "What would you have voted?" " In favour." "You're not even at our school!" " It's your own fault, Pietje!" "Suit yourself!" "I'm out of here!" "So, robber baron, you're back?" "I'm not a robber, remember that." "Money makes the world go round." "There's a letter for you, from the newspaper." "That's all I need." "I want another advertisement." ""Black Hand seeks Waterman"" "Black Hand seeks Waterman?" "How can you ever find me?" "Don't you like water?" "Bring me some glue, I'll put it together again." "What did you bring?" " Our present." "That's not the deal." "Whose money was it?" "The Black Hand earned it and the newspaper paid." "We've had enough of your Black Hand." "You cheat!" "What's wrong?" "You want a fight?" "I ain't afraid of you!" "Fake robber!" "You carry on alone, we quit the Black Hand!" "Happy birthday, sir." " Thank you all." "That's quite a reception." "What fell there?" "Your present, sir, it's broken!" "Maybe it can be put together again." "No, it's better this way." "Go ahead, ruin everything!" "Pietje, come, don't give up so soon." "What's the matter?" "Everything goes wrong." "Paul and Martha, Freckle and his dad, me and Black Hand..." "Pietje, eventually there'll be a happy ending but you can hardly imagine now." " No, indeed." "Everyone is eaten by the big bad wolf in fairytales." "Even those fairy tales have a happy ending." "They only cut open the wolfs belly and Little Red Riding Hood jumps out alive." "It's often that simple." "How can you carry on with life if you don't believe in a happy ending." "Mr Ster, a present for your birthday." "I'm sorry, sir, I'll buy you a new statue." "It's lovely, Pietjes." "I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world." "A girl called Little Red Riding Hood lived in a Rotterdam tower block..." "She went up and down in the lift, she'd be foolish to take the stairs." "One day, her mother told her: " " Child, go see your grandmother." "And then Little Red Riding Hood said: " "But I don't want to, I'm so tired." "So, Little Red Riding Hood, what do you have there?" "It's none of your business." "But if you really want to know, I have some sweets for grandmother." "It's her birthday today." "Oh yes, so it is." "Suddenly I'm very hungry." "I ran away from the zoo because of the tiny portions of meat." "It must be the slump." "Yes, wolf, you could eat a horse!" "I've been kidnapped and they're keeping me in isolation." "Brownlock and Stark are in on it." "To anyone reading this." "Help me." "Go to the police or if you're no friend of them the Black Hand." "The Black Hand?" "The wolf entered the bedroom and saw grandmother lying in her bed..." "Grandmother is very ill, the wolf thinks, coughing her heart out." "Pietje, my pills!" " What!" "?" "Grandmother screamed just like Aunt Cato." "And then the wolf said:" "Be quiet, your coughing will wake the dead." "I won't hurt you, just eat you." "Mr Ster!" "What's this?" "How is he?" "You can go see him now, but be very quiet, he's sleeping." "Jan, guess who I am." "That statue in America, the Statue of Liberty." "Yes, free, with a crown on your head and all on one day." "What do you mean?" "Did you hear about the Czar's crown, with that very big diamond." "It's so huge and expensive and Stark wants it." "And guess how he'll do it?" "I'm very worried about his coughing." " What did the doctor say?" "He has to get back his strength." "We must be patient." "What are you doing here?" "Your teacher is my grandfather." "Hi Pietje." "There's a letter for you, from prison." "You know who it is." "Don't read that!" "If you go to him, I never want to see you again!" "What's all that about?" "Good of you to come so quickly." "I couldn't give details, they check the mail." "I never read the letter, Freckle tore it up." "Does the name Paul Velinga ring a bell?" "It's my sister's fiancé, and owner of the newspaper." "Newspaper owner, so he is Stark's enemy?" "What's all this about?" "He's here, in this prison." "What, how do you know?" "Is this a joke?" " I was wondering that." "Freckle tells me not to trust you." "I know it sounds ridiculous, but if it's all true he's in danger." "And something else:" "Stark, Teun and Clock will escape soon." "They're going to steal a crown, all I know is in this letter." "Give it to the police." " Why don't you warn them?" "Who?" "The governor is in the conspiracy himself." "One thing I'm sure of:" "Stark wants revenge." "You should be careful and keep away from him." "That applies to all the Black Hand." "Don't worry about the Black Hand." " Time's up." "Be careful." "With three men to accompany the crown, everything is fine." "Inspector Hike." " The name is Pike." "What can I do for you?" "Nothing." "Take it easy, you." "FAMOUS CZAR'S CROWN SHIPPED TO AMERICA" "Pietje..." "We never finished our puppet show." "Never mind, sir." "But I was wondering last night, how will it end?" "There'll be a happy ending." "Yes, there's always a happy ending." "Little Red Riding Hood thinks grandmother looks rather funny." "She says: grandmother, what big ears you've got!" "It's from listening to the radio." "Grandmother, what big eyes you've got." "That's from watching all the films in the cinema." "Grandmother, what a big nose you've got." "It's because I stick it into everything." "Grandmother, what a big mouth you've got." "Yes, my child, it's so I can eat you up." "The wolf jumped out of bed and finished her in a single bite." "Dead." "My boy." "Mr Ster is dead." "So I heard, my boy." "I wish we could cut open the wolf's belly." "Then he'd jump out alive!" " Yes, this isn't a happy ending!" "I know, Pietje, and I won't tell you to laugh right now because sometimes all you can do is cry." "And that's what we should do now." "We are gathered to pay our last respects at the place where we will commit the body of our dearly beloved to the earth." "I'd like to read to you a letter from the apostle Paul to the Corinthians." "Brothers and sisters..." "You wanted to be a member of the Black Hand." "Well, you can't." "The Black Hand is dead." " Dead?" "Yes, dead!" "Just now I need it so much." "Because it's time for action!" "But that's not how it is, I'm afraid." "Come along." "Well, did you study the contract carefully?" " Yes. " "I don't have much time." "You'll sign?" "Give me a pen." "Very wise decision." "Today, everything comes my way." "Your newspaper, the crown and maybe even the Black Hand soon." "Can I have a minute for myself, it's a bit emotional." "Pietje, how did you get here?" " From outside, there's a tunnel." "Pietje, how's Martha?" " She's still waiting for a letter." "What's keeping them?" "You go check the tunnel." "Why always me?" "You do it." "Are you the newspaper man?" " Yes, that's me, newspaper man." "Paul Velinga escaped down our tunnel." " Paul who?" "How's can that be?" " Heads will roll!" "They will!" "Hurry, the police will be here soon!" " Help me." "I thought there would be three of you?" " Something went wrong." "Come, get in." "You go, I have to finish something." "Where's that bloody car!" "Hitchhike!" "Stick out your thumb!" "The laundry van!" "We want to join again." "If you'll still have us." "Everyone's a member, Klaas too." "Stark!" "Why are you out of jail?" "I gather you have a crown in your car." "Right, bound for the harbour." "You'll only get it over my dead body!" " You could be right about that!" "Money can buy anything." "Pair of imbeciles, they're on our side!" "But they're cops, and they pointed guns at you." "Not at me, at this sucker!" "Tie him up!" "My father!" "He escaped as well, he's one of them!" "Call the get" " Away car, let's hurry!" "Come on!" "Can't you come a bit further?" "My feet are killing me." "Today's millionaires aren't up to much." "Look at that, another escape from prison." "Brownlock messed up again." " Freckle's dad." "That means trouble!" "Why are you here?" "To save my son." "He isn't here, so get lost." " Oh, yes he is!" "The Black Hand, handed to me on a plate!" "My father only wants one thing." " Willem!" "Which is?" " The crown!" "Stark, give the crown to Freckle's father." " I'm not crazy!" "Pick it up." " Come on, pick up the crown!" "Pietje, don't trust him!" " But I do, and so should you." "Well, what are you waiting for?" " Are you sure?" "No." "You go." "Sophie!" "Got it!" " I told you!" "Pietje, catch!" "Let go of my father!" "Nice game, Teun." " Don't be so stupid, Clock." "Hand me a gun!" " Can you swim?" "Let them go, or I'll throw the crown in the water." "Okay, but only your friend." " No, both of them, they belong together." "They don't." "You care more about him than his father." "He's sorry for that, now." "Yes, Willem, it's true, I'm sorry." "Don't make me laugh!" "Don't believe those fairy tales." "They have happy endings." "Let go of his father." "Stark, catch!" "You're back." " I'll never leave you again." "Hello, Paul, I have great news." "PRISON GOVERNOR ARRESTED" "ESCAPED PRISONERS CAUGHT BY BLACK HAND" "CZAR'S CROWN MISSING." "5000 GUILDERS REWARD" "JAN LAMPE" " RELEASE IMMINENT" "Freckle's father had his sentence cut." "Really?" "How much?" "He'll be out in a few months." "Cripes!" "It's a disgrace!" "Really, what I read in the newspaper!" "My Joseph, getting engaged to your Annie." "What's wrong with our Annie?" "Nothing really!" "But why is it in the paper?" "Your son is like our Pietje." "Joseph's never been in the paper." "He said nothing." "All those modern sections nowadays!" "It's a disgrace!" "Joseph will be in trouble!" "Darn it!" "Who is going to darn my socks?" "Pietje, will you behave today?" "This is my day." "Don't worry Martha, you'll never forget this day." "Pietje Bell!" "The Black Hand on the dress." "Look what I found!" " The crown!"