But that thought was quickly banished, for he had a duty before him, and not until that was performed could he take leave of this world, once so bright to him.
An island with palm-trees slowly rose on the horizon, and off this island it was that, after a good deal of tacking and close-hauling, the Revenge lay to to take in water.

Far better water than that which had been brought from Belize.
"Do you want to go ashore in the boat, boy ?" said Blackbeard, really mindful of the health of this projected member of his family.

"It may help your appetite to use your legs." Dickory did not care to go anywhere, but he had hardly said so when a revulsion of feeling came upon him, and turning away so that his face might not be noticed, he said he thought the land air might do him good.
While the men were at work carrying their pails from the well-known spring to the water-barrels in the boat, Dickory strolled about to view the scenery, for it could never have been expected that a first lieutenant in uniform should help to carry water.

At first the scenery did not appear to be very interesting, and Dickory wandered slowly from here to there, then sat down under a tree.

Presently he rose and went to another tree, a little farther away from the boat and the men at the spring.