More or less forced by Rik and Firmin, Rikki has enlisted in the army. Rik once again has an opportunity for "the deal of his life". He can buy a lot of suspenders, but only wants to pay 1/3 of the price asked by Gerard Cravatte. He has a cunning plan to hypnotize Gerard, but he proves to be completely inept at hypnotizing. Strangely enough, Jef has a real talent for it, and Rik decides Jef should hypnotize Gerard. Vicky is back home, after having been in hospital. Nieke has pawned some jewelry of her mother at "Mie de Mep", and is anxious Rik would find out. She maneuvers Vicky in lending her the money to get the jewelry back, and steals Stavros' gold watch to buy new clothes.
—Daniel Coninx