visualpurple: Since you're the second person to be confused by the doily message, I made a small revision for improved clarity in the last chapter of the Eliminated Elevator.
ChoFrog09, N. Snicket, and visualpurple: Glad you like the villain camp. Yes, it's quite a dangerous place for the Parrs. Wait and see..
Chapter 5, Villa
"Oui, mais je suis en retraite," said Bomb Voyage.
"Gabble goog!" said Jack-Jack, which meant "He says that he's retired."
The children weren't sure whether to believe him or not, but he did seem nicer than the other villains they had met so far. He led the way to a small villa at the edge of town under an enormous tree.
"Voulez-vous quelque choses à manger?" Hector asked.
He mimed eating, and they needed no translation for "Would you like something to eat?" They nodded vigorously.
"Jambon de Paris et Crepes Susette," he announced a short while later, serving them delicious boiled ham and sweet egg pancakes in a flaming orange sauce. It was by far the best food they had eaten in their adventures so far.
After dinner, Hector led them to the base of the tree. It was dusk, and hundreds of crows had come to roost in the branches.
"Un secret," Hector said. He showed them a small hole at the base of the tree. They crawled through it and found there was a passageway leading down through the roots, which led to a good-sized cave. Nearly filling the cave was an enormous digging machine. It had tank treads on the bottom and a huge drill in front.
"La machine de Underminer!" he announced.
"That's what the Underminer was talking about when he said he was going to attack the city soon?" Dash asked.
"Oui," said Hector.
"He said something about a Super Barrier, too. There's an invisible barrier that keeps supers here, but you could get out if you went underground?" asked Violet.
"Oui," said Hector.
"Do you know how to make it work?" asked Dash.
"Non," said Hector.
"We'll help you figure it out," suggested Violet. "We need to get away from here to help our friends Duncan and Isadora."
"Oui," said Hector. He grinned at the possibility of escape.
They returned to the house for more flashlights and research supplies. When they returned to the hole, Dash noticed a piece of paper on the ground. He dropped his flashlight in surprise when he recognized the handwriting on it.
"No longer GHOTI, In avian we," the message said.
"It's another note from Isadora," said Dash. "If she's close enough to send this, she's behind the Super Barrier. We have to find her and Duncan before we can escape."
"Gubby," said Jack-Jack, meaning "If she's here, so's Count Buddy."