I have to keep reminding myself that this book was written as a serial, to be read in chunks rather than individual chapters - I've not really plotted where each section begins and ends, but it might be interesting to see if Wilkie Collins tried to end the chunks on a cliffhanger or similar?

It's clear that Betteredge is a fan of Robinson Crusoe, I don't think I've read many books which directly reference other literature in this way. He seems to use it as others might use their religious text, I've certainly come across people who have been encouraged and guided by reading the Bible in this way.