The secreting of these expert riflemen in a position where they could command Tower Hill and riddle with bullets any troops assembled below, was, however, only one item in the Dumpling's carefully planned campaign. Knowing that it would be from the east or north-east the rioters would approach, the officer in command of the troops had placed his batteries so that the guns could rake both the Minories and Royal Mint Street--the thoroughfares by which the rebel forces must almost of necessity come. Upon Royal Mint Street and the Minories the attention of the soldiers was consequently riveted, and when the military scouts, who had been sent out to ascertain the movements of the enemy, came galloping back to say that one half of the Dumpling's forces was approaching from the north by way of the Minories and the other half from the east by Royal Mint Street--the command was: "Now, boys, they're coming down the two streets upon which we've got our guns trained. Keep cool! Be ready! But don't fire and don't move, any of you, until I give the word." And to Royal Mint Street and the Minories every eye was turned. All this the Dumpling had foreseen, and had laid his plans accordingly. Why he should have been so anxious to time his arrival at Tower Hill almost at the moment of five, those who were not acquainted with his plan of campaign could not understand. They did not know that, at that hour, a huge contingent of armed rebels, recruited from Bermondsey and South London and under the leadership of the Dumpling's most trusted lieutenant, was punctually to cross Tower Bridge, to the dismay and consternation of the troops, who had looked for no onslaught from that quarter. Nor did those who were not in the Dumpling's confidence know that, at the same time, yet another contingent of armed rebels, under able leadership, would converge upon Tower Hill from Thames Street and Great Tower Street, so that the soldiers were simultaneously attacked from the north, south, east, and west, and that at a moment when they were looking for danger only from two quarters. Everything worked out exactly as the Dumpling had planned it. At five minutes to five the vanguards of the advancing armies were seen approaching from Royal Mint Street and the Minories. Almost at the very moment that the soldiers were preparing to fire, the windows of the tea warehouse were opened, and a deadly volley poured upon the unfortunate gunners by the riflemen who had been concealed within its walls. Utterly taken aback and dismayed, the soldiers turned to see whence the attack came--only to find hostile armies, in each case with picked marksmen in the van, approaching on every hand. Then the Dumpling gave the word to charge. In ten minutes scarcely a soldier was left alive, their guns and their ammunition were taken, and the Tower of London, and its armouries, were in the hands of the Dumpling.