well-nigh forty pieces of cannon, while they say that James has but six
pieces, and most of these are small.

"Methinks, then, that they will not even attempt to take the city by
storm. Why should they waste men in doing so, when they can starve us
out? It is famine we have to fight, in this sort of war. I do not think
that James has, in all Ireland, cannon sufficient to batter down our
walls; but ten days will bring our provisions to an end. It will be with
us as with Leyden. We have only to suffer and wait. If it be God's will,
succour will come in time. If not, we must even perish."

With his spirits somewhat damped by his cousin's view of the case, John
returned with him to the house. He would willingly enough have gone out,
to fight against the besiegers, but the thought of the long slow agony of
starvation was naturally terrible to a lad of good health and appetite.

The mob of Derry had shown good sense in the choice which they made of
their governors. Baker, indeed, who was a military man, was a mere cipher
in the matter. Walker was, in reality, the sole governor. He was a man of
energy and judgment, as well as enthusiastic and fanatical, and he at
once gave evidence of his fitness for the post, and set himself
diligently to work to establish order in the town.

He issued orders that all unable to bear arms, who wished to leave the
town, could do so, while the able-bodied men, now formed into regiments,
were assigned every man his place, and every regiment its quarter, on the
walls. No less than thirty thousand fugitives, exclusive of the garrison,
were shut up in the walls of Derry, and the army which was besieging the
town numbered twenty thousand.