"And she hasn't talked about anything but Valentine since," says Purdy.
"It's Vally's turn to be it; eh?" says I.
"You'd think so if you could hear them," says he. "Anastasia is just as enthusiastic."
"You ain't gettin' jealous, are you?" says I.
Purdy unreefs the sickliest kind of a grin you ever saw. "I was as pleased as anyone," says he, "until I found out the whole of Aunt Isabella's plan."
And say, it was a grand right and left that she'd framed up. Matin' Stashy up with Valentine instead of Purdy was only part. Her idea was to induce Vally to settle down with her, and ship Purdy off to look after the iv'ry job.
"Only fancy!" says Purdy. "It's a place called Bombazoula! Why, you can't even find it on the chart. I'd die if I had to live in such a dreadful place."
"Is it too late to get busy and hand out the hot air to Stashy?" says I. "Looks to me like it was either you for her, or Bombazoula for you."
"Don't!" says Purdy, and he shivers like I'd slipped an icicle down his back. Honest, he was takin' it so hard I didn't have the heart to rub it in.
"Maybe Valentine'll renig—who knows?" says I. "He may be so stuck on Africa that she can't call him off."