"Then of course you've heard of this Murphy?"
"N ... no, I haven't," answered Bolliver, and let his vacillating eyes wander to the judge and back.
"You tell that to the marines!" And after half a dozen other tricky questions: "I put it to you, it's a well-known fact that he's been a carrier hereabouts for the last couple o' years or more?"
"I don't know—I sup ... sup-pose so." Bolliver's tongue grew heavy and tripped up his words.
"And yet you've the cheek, you old rogue you, to insinuate that this was a put-up job?"
"I ... I only say what I heard."
"I don't care a button what you heard or didn't hear. What I ask, my pretty, is do you yourself say so?"
"The ... the defendant recommended him."
"I put it to you, this man Murphy was one of the best known carriers in Melbourne, and THAT was why the defendant recommended him—are you out to deny it?"
"N ... n ... no."