Abbrev table keeps getting messed

[Harry Putnam]

I have quite a few abbrevs for cperl mode, most are based on skeletons
in ~/.emacs.

Here lately there is one particular abbrev I've added repeatedly.
When I add it, I test it right then.... it works, but when I try it
later it doesn't work, then when I  `M-x edit-abbrevs' again I see it
jacked up.  (I'll show in a moment)

Here is a few line from the abbrev table as viewed from M-x
edit-abbrevs.  They look like they should and they all work.

Many of you will already know that the `""' pair pulls in the
function listed to the right.  

  "pbase"        3    ""                       hp-pbase
  "pdb"          14   ""                       hp-pdb
  "pdb1          0    ""                       hp-pdb1
  "pdbif"        0    ""                       hp-pdbif
  "pdie"         16   ""                       hp-pdie

-------        ---------       ---=---       ---------      -------- 

Here is the same bunch more or less later after pdb1 failed to work.

  "pbase"        3    ""                       hp-pbase
  "pdb"          14   ""                       hp-pdb
  "pdb1          0    " 0 pdbif                "        2    "
  "pdie"         16   ""                       hp-pdie
  "pfor"         8    ""                       hp-pfor

-------        ---------       ---=---       ---------      -------- 

This has happened 4 or 5 times now.  I've even corrected the lines and
closed emacs making sure abbrevs were saved.  Started back up, but
again after while, I find one of those not working, and when I look
its back again... always the same garble too.

I haven't changed any abbrev settings but I do fiddle with abbrevs
often adding as needed and removing sometimes.

I've tried writing the abbrevs when its corrected... but the mess
comes back.

It must be something mechanical about that abbrev or perhaps the skeleton
function? 

I've included the two most likely candidates... but it seems most
likely to be hp-pdbif

-------        ---------       ---=---       ---------      -------- 
First, emacs settings:

(add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'mail-abbrevs-setup)
(setq default-abbrev-mode t)
(read-abbrev-file "/home/reader/.abbrev_defs")


---------       ---=---       ---------
Skeleton funcitons

(define-skeleton hp-pdb1
 "Insert my $pdb = 1;\n for debuging"
  nil
"my $pdb = 1;\n")

(define-skeleton hp-pdbif
 "Insert  if($pdb){blah"
  nil
" if ( $pdb ) {
     "_\n";
 }")