The present .

Monsieur Risottos men started digging up the lawn bright and early . First one trench was dug under the oak tree . Then another was dug along the field boundary . Amid much scratching of heads and shrugging of shoulders a third was dug across the driveway . Monsieur Risotto and his team then went for lunch . It must have been a good lunch as they failed to return in the afternoon .

The mechanical digger remains , where it was left , blocking access to the house . Wilf went through the motions of barking at the workmen but was soon safely back inside catching up on his sleep . He curled up at the foot of the stairs with a satisfied sigh that seemed to say : " Everyday is a gift , that's why they call it the present " .