ch a treasure as the Rose of
Paradise he had it clearly in his power to do that and much more.

At that time our English vessels were used to lay their course up and
down the Mozambique Channel, and not along the eastern coast of
Madagascar; for the Mauritius and other islands which lie to the
north-east of that land belong to the French or Dutch, as those in the
Channel belong to us. Therefore it was necessary to my purpose that I
should persuade Captain Croker to alter his course, so as to run down
outside the island instead of through the Channel, for it was plain to
see that even if I should be able to escape from the _Lavinia_ to Juanna
or to any of the coadjacent islands, I would be as far as ever from
getting to Mauritius, which lieth many leagues away around the northern
end of Madagascar.

So I determined to make a clean breast of it, and confide the whole plan
to Captain Croker from beginning to end, only I would say nothing as to
how I had gained my knowledge of England's whereabouts, for I would not
break the promise which I had given to the deserter, as told above.

As no time was to be lost in following out the plans which I had
determined upon, I requested that I might have speech with Captain
Croker that very night. I told him everything concerning the affair from
beginning to end, adding nothing and omitting nothing. Although so old
and so well-tried a friend, he was cast into the utmost depths of wonder
and amazement at my audacity in proposing that he should alter the
course of his vessel, and at my boldness in daring to tell him my plans
for escaping from the restraint under which I had been placed. He
questioned me closely concerning many matters: as to what led me to
think that England was the present possessor of the jewel; as to how I
proposed to proceed after I had escaped to the land; and as to how I had
become informed of the pirate's whereabouts, concerning which last
particular I would give him no satisfaction.

I knew not what he had in his mind, nor where all these questions
tended, and by-and-by left the cabin, though in a sad state of
uncertainty, not knowing how Captain Croker inclined, nor what might be
his feelings in regard to me.

Nor was my uncertainty lessened for several days, in which time I knew
not what to think, but waited for some sign from him. One evening,
however, the whole matter was resolved in a most simple, natural, and
unexpected manner.

At that time we were