Hardly had we had time to whisper around this change of name, when the Confederate officer of the guard made his appearance with two or three soldiers, inquiring for the commissary of house number four. I was pointed out to him. In substance and almost in the exact words this dialogue ensued: "Colonel Sprague, are you commissary of this house?" "I have that honor." "I want to find Lieutenant Gardner." "Who?" "Lieutenant Gardner." "Who's Lieutenant Gardner?" "I am told he's an officer in house number four; and as you are commissary, you can probably tell me where he is _at_." "Where he's what?" "Where he's _at_." This was the first time I had ever heard the word _at_ so used at the end of a sentence; but it expresses the meaning with admirable precision. I had a slight qualm at lying; but I remembered that even George Washington could tell a lie if necessary in war. Pacifying my conscience with the fact that we were _outside_ the house at the time, I said: "There's no such officer in house four. But I remember an officer of that name at Libby, handsomely dressed, a perfect dandy. I heard that he escaped at the crossing of the Yadkin River two weeks ago. Has he been recaptured, and is he going to be shot or hanged? Or have you a letter for him? What's the good news about Gardner?" "I only know," he replied, "that he's wanted at Major Gee's office, and he's an officer in house number four." "Estabrooks," said I to the man at my side, "do you know of a Lieutenant Gardner?" "I did know slightly such a man at Libby. You have described him well; a fop, a beau, a dandy; just about my size, but he didn't wear rags like I do."