Good proofs of his doing the pluckiest thing.
They both went away with a qualified joy:
That coward, Old Paul, chose a very small boy,
And when no one was looking, in spite of his fears,
He set to work boxing that little boy's ears.
The little boy struggled and tugged at his hair,
But the lion was roused, and Old Paul didn't care;
He smacked him, and whacked him, and boxed him, and kicked
Till the poor little beggar was royally licked.