One stormy night Gip was missing. "Gip" is short for Gipsy because she had dark black eyes and black hair. Sandy continued to search for Gip and made good friends with John and Mrs. Shafto, who became his spiritual mentors. Mr. Shafto, a Scrooge-like character, badly needed a change of heart and is helped by Sandy. A street preacher spoke of Christ seeking those that are lost, which becomes the theme of the story, with John 19:10: "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."