Using SQL 2000. What can cause this UDF to get the following error? It works in one db but not another when you click "syntax check"!

Create function dbo.Test
(
	@userid		char(3)
)
Returns varchar(40)
as  
Begin 
   return @userid + "<<<<"
end

Microsoft SQL-DMO (ODBC SQLState: 42000)
Error 170: Line 2: Incorrect syntax near 'function'.
Must declare the variable '@userid'.