The large gate of the court-yard he barricadoed yet more strongly, leaving only a wicket open for the convenience of passage.

What he had most to apprehend, was the slenderness of his garrison; for all the efforts of the steward were unable to get more than nine men under arms, himself and Gudyill included, so much more popular was the cause of the insurgents than that of the government Major Bellenden, and his trusty servant Pike, made the garrison eleven in number, of whom one-half were old men.

The round dozen might indeed have been made up, would Lady Margaret have consented that Goose Gibbie should again take up arms.

But she recoiled from the proposal, when moved by Gudyill, with such abhorrent recollection of the former achievements of that luckless cavalier, that she declared she would rather the Castle were lost than that he were to be enrolled in the defence of it.

With eleven men, however, himself included, Major Bellenden determined to hold out the place to the uttermost.
The arrangements for defence were not made without the degree of fracas incidental to such occasions.