I nodded, then walked across the glade, figuring how long it would take Mitchell and me to clear the forty acres. I could see that some of the land was sloping and that could be hard on us and any mules we had. Also, some parts of the forest looked to be denser than others, but seeing that this was a virgin forest, I was figuring three-fourths of those trees were likely to be sixteen inches or more diameter. Still, when I looked up at the massive trees, I decided with Mitchell and me each being able to fell about fifteen to twenty trees a day, more if we had to, we could do it. We could clear Filmore Granger’s forty acres of timber for him and have ourselves forty acres of good farming and grazing land afterward, and we could do it in two years. I walked back to face the Grangers. “If I take this on,” I said, “then I’d want the first timbers I cut to be for a cabin. If I need to put some other buildings on the place, shelter for my animals or for my tools and such, I would want to cut timber for that as well. I wouldn’t figure you to charge me for it.”
Filmore Granger studied on the matter. “Well, I don’t know about that. You’d be taking money out of my pocket by using my timbers.”
“The thing is, if for some reason I don’t get the land cleared, you’d already have buildings standing here.”
Filmore Granger nodded but did not accept my terms. “I tell you what. You go ahead and cut the timbers you need for your shelters, but only trees less than sixteen inches. I’ll be checking to see that you do. You cut down any of my trees sixteen or more inches, then you’re going to have to answer to me. Another thing, don’t you dare to cut off this section. One thing I won’t stand for is you pilfering my trees to line your own pockets.”
I took offense to that, but I didn’t let Filmore Granger know. “I wouldn’t do that,” I said before accepting his terms. “All right, Mister Granger, I can agree to what you say. But I would like a map to help me with the boundaries and I’d like to walk the land off with you to see exactly how many trees there are and to mark the boundaries, so I’ll know how far out to cut.”
Filmore Granger agreed to that. “But you need to know I expect the first trees you cut to be out along the trail yonder to the road there. I need a road across to this glade so I can get my men and wagons in and out. That comes first, before any building you do. Fact, I’d expect a roadway clear in two months. I figure to bring in men about then to run the first logs down the creek.”
“I understand,” I said, then took a moment adjusting my thoughts, for I knew I had to put my next words just right. “Mister Granger, after we walk off the place and mark the tree line, if it’s agreeable with you, I’d like to have a written agreement stating our terms.”
Now, I’d expected some objection from Filmore Granger about this, but it was the boy who spoke up, not his father. “What you need a piece of paper for? My daddy’s word good enough for a white man, it sure ought to be good enough for you!”
I glanced at the boy but addressed my words to his father. “I meant no offense. It’s just that I know that sometimes things get a bit muddled and folks sometimes forget certain things when they aren’t written down as fact. I figured a written agreement would keep me alert as to what I need to do in order to own this place.”
Filmore Granger eyed me coldly, but I knew he understood what I was saying, even though I knew he didn’t like it. I was willing to risk his withdrawing his offer if I didn’t have a legal paper. I’d learned long ago a white man’s word didn’t mean all that much when he dealt with people of color. Ray Sutcliffe had taught me that. “All right, boy, you can have your paper. You come back in the morning,” he said, “and we’ll mark a tree line and walk off all forty acres.”
I tried not to study on the fact he’d called me a boy, even though I was a man grown. “That’ll be fine,” I said, my voice even, “but if you don’t mind, Mister Granger, I’d like to make the terms of our agreement dated to take effect in thirty days, at the end of September. I’ve got work to finish up in Vicksburg, but once I come back, I can start right away.”
“You sure are demanding for a white nigger,” objected Filmore Granger at what he no doubt thought was my arrogance. “All right, thirty days. I’ll draw up your paper too stating ‘our’ terms, as you say.” He turned to leave.
I kept my anger to myself and called out to him. “Mister Granger, if you don’t mind, I’d like to spend the night here seeing we’ll be walking the land in the morning. It’ll give me a chance to see more of the place.”