me. This Mr. Jerry Cole, before mentioned, was keeping things back.
He had a preponderating interest in that Southwold company, and he
thought that the _Henrietta_ had been sold too cheap, and that hung up
the delivery. At least that's what Posh tells me, and at this date I
can't get any better evidence than his.

Shortly after the last letter FitzGerald wrote again. Now his kind
anxiety about this man, whom he still loved, outweighed all thought of
money. It was a bitter winter, and Posh, he thought, was not over-hale.

"WOODBRIDGE, _Saturday_.

"DEAR CAPTAIN,

"Whatever is to be done about the money, do not you go over to
Southwold while this weather lasts. I think it is colder than I ever
knew. Don't go, I say--there can be no hurry for the boat (even if
you _can_ get it) for a a [_sic_] week or so. Perhaps it may be as
well at Southwold as at Lowestoft.

"I wish you were here to play Allfours with me To-night.

"Yours,
"E. FG."

Posh got the lugger in March, 1870, and on March 2nd FitzGerald wrote to
Mr. Spalding (_Two Suffolk Friends_, p. 118): "Posh has, I believe, gone
off to Southwold in hope to bring his Lugger home. I advised him last
night to ascertain first by letter whether she _were_ ready for his
hands; but you know he will go his own way, and that generally is as good
as anybody's. He now works all day in his Net-loft: and I wonder how he
keeps as well as he is, shut up there from fresh air and among frowsy
Nets. . . . I think he has mistaken in not sending the _Meum and Tuum_
to the West this spring. . . . But I have not meddled, nor indeed is it
my Business to meddle now. . . ."

I think this must have been written about the date of the letter with
which I commence the next chapter, or possibly a little later. It would,
almost certainly, be _after_ the catches of mackerel mentioned by "Mr.
Manby" as hereinafter appears, and, very likely, after the termination of
the partnership.

CHAPTER XIII
THE END OF THE PARTNERSHIP

Either in March or April, 1870, FitzGerald wrote to Posh the quaint
letter which follows:--

"DEAR POSH,

"I never wanted you to puzzle yourself about the Accounts any more,
but only to tell me at a rough estimate what the chief expenses
were--as, for instance, Shares, &c.--I beg to say that I _never had_
asked you--nor had you told me this at Lowestoft: if you had I should
not have wanted to ask again.