| CHAPTER | PAGE | |
| I.— | On the Way Home from the Fishing Hole | [17] |
| II.— | A Startling Accusation | [25] |
| III.— | When the Challenge Came | [33] |
| IV.— | The Practice Game with the Scrub Team | [41] |
| V.— | Between Earth and Sky | [49] |
| VI.— | A Question of a Scout's Duty | [57] |
| VII.— | More Work on the Diamond | [65] |
| VIII.— | The Punctured Tire | [73] |
| IX.— | Faithful to His Friend | [81] |
| X.— | Giving Him Another Chance | [89] |
| XI.— | Ready for the Battle of the Bats | [97] |
| XII.— | Stealing the Signals | [105] |
| XIII.— | Ready for the Great Game | [113] |
| XIV.— | How the Fight Went On | [121] |
| XV.— | Lil Artha Plants His Garden in Deep Center | [129] |
| XVI.— | The Mystery Solved | [137] |
THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUTS
FAST NINE;
OR,
A CHALLENGE FROM FAIRFIELD.
CHAPTER I.
ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE FISHING HOLE.
A party of five boys, ranging in age around fifteen or sixteen, trudged rather wearily along the bank of a small stream known as the Sunflower River. Some miles beyond this point it merged its clear waters with those of the broader Sweetwater, which river has figured before now in these stories of the Hickory Ridge boys.
As they carried several strings of pretty good-looking fish, the chances were the straggling group must have been over at the larger stream trying their luck. And as black bass have a failing for beginning to bite just when fellows ought to be starting for home this would account for evening finding them still some distance from Hickory Ridge and a jolly supper.
"Another long mile, and then we'll be there, fellows," sighed the stoutest one of the bunch, who was panting every little while, because of the warm pace set by his more agile chums.