Jacob admitted at the outset that he was a smack-master’s apprentice, and that he bad been “hired out” by his master to one Mr. Jezzard as deck-hand and cabin-boy of the yacht Otter.

“Now, Gummer,” said Anstey, “do you remember the prisoner coming on board the yacht?”

“Yes.  He has been on board twice.  The first time was about a month ago.  He went for a sail with us then.  The second time was on the night when Mr. Hearn was murdered.”

“Do you remember what sort of boots the prisoner was wearing the first time he came?”

“Yes.  They were shoes with a lot of nails in the soles.  I remember them because Mr. Jezzard made him take them off and put on a canvas pair.”

“What was done with the nailed shoes?”

“Mr. Jezzard took ’em below to the cabin.”

“And did Mr. Jezzard come up on deck again directly?”

“No.  He stayed down in the cabin about ten minutes.”

“Do you remember a parcel being delivered on board from a London boot-maker?”

“Yes.  The postman brought it about four or five days after Mr. Draper had been on board.  It was labelled ’Walker Bros., Boot and Shoe Makers, London.’  Mr. Jezzard took a pair of shoes from it, for I saw them on the locker in the cabin the same day.”

“Did you ever see him wear them?”

“No.  I never see ’em again.”

“Have you ever heard sounds of hammering on the yacht?”

“Yes.  The night after the parcel came I was on the quay alongside, and I heard someone a-hammering in the cabin.”

“What did the hammering sound like?”

“It sounded like a cobbler a-hammering in nails.”

“Have you over seen any boot-nails on the yacht?”

“Yes.  When I was a-clearin’ up the cabin the next mornin’, I found a hobnail on the floor in a corner by the locker.”

“Were you on board on the night when Mr. Hearn died?”

“Yes.  I’d been ashore, but I came aboard about half-past nine.”

“Did you see Mr. Hearn go ashore?”

“I see him leave the yacht.  I had turned into my bunk and gone to sleep, when Mr. Jezzard calls down to me:  ‘We’re putting Mr. Hearn ashore,’ says he; ‘and then,’ he says, ’we’re a-going for an hour’s fishing.  You needn’t sit up,’ he says, and with that he shuts the scuttle.  Then I got up and slid back the scuttle and put my head out, and I see Mr. Jezzard and Mr. Leach a-helpin’ Mr. Hearn acrost the deck.  Mr. Hearn he looked as if he was drunk.  They got him into the boat—­and a rare job they had—­and Mr. Pitford, what was in the boat already, he pushed off.  And then I popped my head in again, ’cause I didn’t want them to see me.”

“Did they row to the steps?”

“No.  I put my head out again when they were gone, and I heard ’em row round the yacht, and then pull out towards the mouth of the harbour.  I couldn’t see the boat, ’cause it was a very dark night.”