He wanders frantically in search of them until after night has fallen, and then hears a chilling voice coming seemingly from under the ground. As they travel nearly blind in the fog and gathering darkness, the hobbits get separated, or rather, Frodo gets separated from his other three companions.

A heavy fog veils any view of the surrounding country, and the hobbits are eager to get out of the Downs as quickly as they can. The hobbits do not wake from an ill-timed and unplanned nap at lunch until late afternoon.