ge for FitzGerald.
Whether or not the life-belts fitted or were ever used I can't ascertain.
But I believe that one was in existence a year or so ago. The "lines and
anchors" were, Posh thinks, lost from his old punt the _Gazelle_.

For the sake of convenience I give a letter here which is somewhat out of
date, but inasmuch as it has nothing to do with the fishing but only with
the trust which FitzGerald had in Posh it may very well come in here.

"MARKETHILL, WOODBRIDGE, _October_ 2_nd_.

"DEAR POSH,

"I forgot to tell you that I had desired a Day and Night Telescope to
be left _for me_ at the Lowestoft Railway Station--Please to enquire
for it: and, if it be there, this Letter of mine may be sufficient
Warrant for _you_ to take the Glass.

"Do not, however, take the Glass _out to sea_ till we have tried it.

"We got here yesterday. I shall not be at Lowestoft _this week_ at
any rate.

"Yours,
"EDWARD FITZGERALD.

"Please to send me word about the Glass. I left a note for you in
George Howe's hands before we started. I was sorry not to see you;
but you knew where to find me on Monday Evening."

The glass was, Posh assures me, a good one. But no one knows what became
of it. Later FitzGerald again mentions the glass.

"WOODBRIDGE, _Monday_.

"DEAR POSH,

"If I could have made sure from your letter that you were going to
stop on shore this Day, I would have run over to see you. You tell me
of getting a Job done: but I cannot be sure if you are having it done
To-day: and I do not go to Lowestoft for fear you may be put to sea
again.

"Of course you will get anything done to Boat or Net that you think
proper.

"You did not tell me how the Spy-Glass answers. But do not trouble
yourself to write.

"Yours truly,
"FLAGSTONE FITZGERALD."

{Woodbridge River (evening) where the "scandal" berthed: p97.jpg}

As soon as I asked Posh the meaning of the signature "Flagstone
FitzGerald" he burst out laughing. "What!" said he. "Hain't yew niver
heard about ole Flagstone? He was a retail and wholesale grocer and
gin'ral store dealer at Yarmouth name ---" (well, we will say Smith for
purposes of reference. As the man's sons still carry on his old business
here in Lowestoft it is as well not to give the true name. By the way, I
do not mean that the sons carry on the "flagstone" business), "and he
owned tew or t'ree boots and