Devon Day and the Sweetwater Kid: Down the Owlhoot Trail

by J.E.S. Hays

In the late 1800's, a couple of enterprising young fellows decide to head West. John Gray, running away from a boring life in a boring town, runs into Kyler Devon, newly orphaned and looking for work. The two become fast friends, and agree to team up to accomplish all of their goals: to make a fortune, make an impact, and make names for themselves.

The best way to make their dreams come true is to become someone else entirely. John wants nothing more to do with his family, and reinvents himself as Chance Knight, debonair man of the world. Kye is proud of his name, but happily adopts a brother to replace the siblings he left with relatives.

Chance and Kye plan to take to the Owlhoot trail and become famous outlaws. As Devon Day and the Sweetwater Kid, they live a life of adventure most lads their age can only read about in a dime novel.

Follow the boys in this collection of thirteen tales as they rob a stagecoach, run a con game, and teach the locals not to draw to an inside straight. They follow a map to stolen gold, outwit hostile Indians, and investigate a supposedly haunted canyon. They run into foul weather, trigger-happy stagecoach guards, and a band of robbers out to take their hard-earned riches. They even join a cattle drive. In the midst of all the action, the two form a partnership that will last the rest of their lives.

244 pages, Paperback

First published March 23, 2013

About the author

J.E.S Hays lives in South Carolina, in a little house full of books and photographs. Author advice and snarky comments free of charge.

Reviews

[Cheryl]

Genre fiction, pretty darn cute. The coy biography of the author makes me think they're female or non-binary. The sexism, racism, and body count are moderate.

[Diane]

I loved reading it. I can't wait to read more by this author.

[Catherine Siemann]

Delightful YA set in the Old West, about two up-and-coming young outlaws.