friends along the outer edge of the moat, and received constant
reinforcements by boats from their ships.

The odds were too great for the assailants, who were forced at last
to fall back along the dyke to the south gate and to re-enter the
town. It was already five weeks since the English had arrived to
take part in the defence, and the struggle now began upon a great
scale -- thirty cannon and eight culverins opening fire upon the
walls. The heaviest fire was on St. James' day, the 25th of July,
when 4000 shots were fired between three in the morning and five
in the afternoon. While this tremendous cannonade was going on,
the boys could not but admire the calmness shown by the population.
Many of the shots, flying over the top of the walls, struck the
houses in the city, and the chimneys, tiles, and masses of masonry
fell in the streets. Nevertheless the people continued their usual
avocations. The shops were all open, though the men employed served
their customers with breast and back pieces buckled on, and their
arms close at hand, so that they could run to the walls at once
to take part in their defence did the Spaniards attempt an assault
upon them. The women stood knitting at their doors, Frau Menyn looked
as sharply after her maids as ever, and washing and scouring went
on without interruption.

"I believe that woman will keep those girls at work after the
Spaniards have entered the city, and until they are thundering
at the door," Lionel said. "Who but a Dutch woman would give a
thought to a few particles of dust on her furniture when an enemy
was cannonading the town?"

"I think she acts wisely after all, Lionel. The fact that everything