Pipkin nowhere to be seen.

Way off, toward the horizon, 
something dark frittered and danced
and slithered away in the cold star air.

"Help-help-" wailed a fading voice.

Then it was gone.

"Oh," mourned Mr. Moundshroud. 
"This is bad. 
I fear Something has taken him away."

"Where, where?" gibbered the boys, cold.

"To the Undiscovered Country. 
The Place I wanted to show you. But now--"

"You don't mean that Thing in the ravine,
It, or Him, or whatever, that Something,
was-- Death? Did he grab Pipkin and-- run?!"

"Borrowed is more like it, 
perhaps to hold him for ransom,
" said Moundshroud.

"Can Death do that?"

"Sometimes, yes."