Devon Boys: A Tale of the North Shore

"Devon Boys: A Tale of the North Shore" by George Manville Fenn is a late 19th-century novel set in 1752, chronicling a summer adventure of three rambunctious teenage boys—Sep Duncan, Bob Chowne, and Bigley Uggleston—on holiday from Barnstaple Grammar School; Sep, who also narrates, along with his friends, immediately start exploring the cliffs of Devon and undertake daring shenanigans, that get them to discover of a vein of galena. The discovery leads to the start of a myne, and a variety of adventures, along with the introduction of intrigue, into their lives. Their playful mischief, which includes moving rocks and planning dangerous explorations at the cliffs, escalates when they decide to use gunpowder to bring down a massive boulder from the cliff top. The novel highlights friendship, adventure, and the consequences of impulsive behavior, setting an animated tone for the boys' summer adventures.