And my reason _for_ asking, was simply
that, on Monday Mr. Moor here was _asking me_ about what a Lugger's
expenses were, and I felt it silly not to be able to tell him the
least about it: and I have felt so when some one asked me before: and
that is why I asked you. I neither have, nor ever had, any doubt of
your doing your best: and you ought not to think so.

"You _must please yourself_ entirely about Plymouth: I only wish to
say that I had not spoken as if I wanted you to go. Go by all means
if you like.

"When I paid the Landlady of the Boat Inn for Newson and Jack she
asked me if you had explained to me about the Grog business. I said
that you could not understand it at first, but afterwards supposed
that others might have been treated at night. She said--Yes; drinking
rum-flip till two in the morning. She says it was Newson's doing, but
I think _you_ should have told me _at once_, particularly as your not
doing so left me with some suspicion of the Landlady's fair dealing.
You did not choose to leave the blame to Newson, I suppose, but I
think I deserve the truth at your hands as much as he does the
concealment of it.

"Yours,
"E. FG."

{The "Boat Inn," Quay Lane, Woodbridge: p151.jpg}

Mr. Moor was FitzGerald's Woodbridge lawyer, and no doubt he and other
friends of FitzGerald thought that the affairs of the partnership of
FitzGerald and Fletcher were not carried on with such precision as was
desirable. Possibly they were right. But then, Posh couldn't be
precise. I have failed to get any intelligible account out of Posh as to
that rum-flip orgy. All he could do was to chuckle. The question of
loyalty raised in the letter is a nice one. But Posh and his kind would
only answer it in one way. They would regard it as treachery to their
order to betray each other to a "gennleman," however kind the
"gennleman," may have been.

On April 4th FitzGerald wrote to Posh from Woodbridge:--

"DEAR POSH,

"I _may be_ at Lowestoft some time next week. As it is I have still
some engagements here; and, moreover, I have not been quite well.

"If you want to see me, you have only to come over here any day you
choose. To-morrow (Sunday) there is a Train from Lowestoft which
reaches Woodbridge at about 3 in the afternoon. I tell you this in
case you might want to see or speak to me.

"Mr. Manby told me yesterday that the