"Just as though I cared whether he is going to feel at home or not!"
says Purdy, real pettish. "By, Jove, Shorty! I've half a mind not to
do it. So there!"

"Gee!" says I. "I wouldn't have your temper for anything. Shall we
signal the driver to do a pivot and head her north?"

"N-n-n-o," says Purdy, reluctant.

And right there I gets a seventh son view of Aunt Isabella crackin' the
checkbook at Purdy, and givin' him the cold spine now and then by
threatenin' to tear up the will. From that on I feels different
towards him. He'd got to a point where it was either please Aunt
Isabella, or get out and hustle; and how to get hold of real money
except by shovin' pink slips at the payin' teller was part of his
education that had been left out. He was up against it for fair.

"Say, Purdy," says I, "I don't want to interfere in any family matters;
but since you've put it up to me, let me get this chunk of advice off
my mind: Long's you've got to be nice to aunty or go on a snowball
diet, I'd be nice and do it as cheerful as I could."

Purdy thinks that over for a minute or so. Then he raps his cane on
the rubber mat, straightens up his shoulders, and says, "By Jove, I'll
do it! I'll get the snakes!"

That wa'n't so easy, though, as I'd thought. Lefty White says he's
sorry, but he runs a mighty small stock of snakes in winter. He's got
a fine line of spring goods on the way, though, and if we'll just leave
our order----

"Ah, say, Lefty!" says I. "You give me shootin' pains. Here I goes
and cracks up your joint as a first class snakery and all you can show
is a few angleworms in bottles and a prospectus of what you'll have
next month."

"Stuffed ones wouldn't do, eh?" says he.

"Why not?" says I.

Purdy wa'n't sure, but he thought he'd take a chance on 'em; so we
picked out three of the biggest and spottedest ones in the shop, and
makes Lefty promise to get 'em up there early next forenoon, for
Valentine was due to show up by dinner time next night.

On the way back we talks it over some more, and I tries to chirk Purdy
up all I could; for every time he thinks of Bombazoula he has a
shiverin' fit that nearly knocks him out.

"I could never stand it to go there," says he--"never!"

"Here, here!" says I. "That's no way to meet a thing like this. What
you want to do is to chuck a bluff. Jump right into this reception
business with both feet and let on you're tickled to death with the
prospect. Au