noon
Leaders had been chosen and accepted , men who knew every alley and byway of the city , and had made a study of street fighting , the cover to be had and taken advantage of , and the narrow ways where the soldiers would manoeuvre at a disadvantage , being compelled to fight singly and hand to hand . As the morning advanced , separate bands traversed the meaner streets , avoiding conflict for the present as much as possible . Here and there sharp skirmishes took place , but no determined effort was made to rush the soldiers , nor were the soldiers successful in dispersing those with whom they came in conflict , except , perhaps , to make them change their route . The rebel leaders had no wish to make boldly for the Grande Place before noon , that would only be to make known what their objective was . When the time came , their numbers would be overpowering , and when once the soldiers saw that they were hemmed in , many of them would be fighting with them instead of against them . Was it not common knowledge that among the troops there was dissatisfaction ? Desmond Ellerey had fallen in with one of these bands when he escaped from Frina 's garden .