" Now , look here , my lad , " he continued continue , " some boys are born stupid , and thou art one of them ; some achieve stupidity -- that 's thee again , Jim -- thou wast both born stupid and hast greatly increased thy birthright -- and some " ( and here came a climax climax during which the boy 's head and ear were swayed sway from side to side ) " have stupidity thrust upon them , which , if it please the Lord , shall not be thy case , my lad , for I will thrust stupidity from thee , though I have to box thine ears in doing so , " but I did not see that the old man really did box Jim 's ears , or do more than pretend pretend to frighten him , for the two understood one another perfectly well .