Moore’s gang, of course, was also Moran’s. And Moran demanded, “Did they say so?” “No.” “Then what do _you_ say so for?” “Yuh _asked_ me, didn’t yuh?” Keighley replied, unperturbed. “I asked you for facts!” “Well, that’s what yuh’re goin’ to get--if yuh want to hear them. Those men know. _They can tell._ I’m not int’rested--unless someone wants to make trouble fer me.” “_Who_ wants to make trouble for you?” Moran blustered. Keighley replied, with meaning, “That’s what I’m waitin’ to find out.” The Deputy-Chief had come there intending to hold over Keighley the threat of an investigation. He found, now, that Keighley had the butt end of that whip in his hand. He said roughly, “Look here, Keighley, you might as well understand first as last, the order for Chief Borden’s retirement’s coming. You know which side your bread’s buttered on, don’t you?” Without an instant’s hesitation, Keighley put his hand down flat on his desk-top and answered, “I stand pat. I don’t owe _youse_ nothin’. Yuh can do what yuh like, but yuh can’t scare me. See?” He knew that he was safe for the time, for he had the prestige of the morning’s newspaper notoriety behind him, and the Commissioner would not dare to remove him without cause, and any attempt to make a case against him out of the fire on the _Sachsen_ would prove--in the language of politics--“a boomerang.” The charges against Chief Borden had been held proven by the Commissioner, but they had yet to be defended before a court of appeal under the Civil Service laws. Public sentiment had been aroused in the chief’s favor by the arbitrary and insolent conduct of the Commissioner sitting in judgment at the trial. And Keighley calculated that if the order were issued for the chief’s retirement, the “Jiggers,” to obtain that order, would have to fling themselves into a blow that would take, for the moment, all their strength. Moran took up his cap from the desk and put it on. “All right, Keighley,” he said. “We’ll see what we can do for _you_.” Keighley turned his back to reach his coat that hung on a hook beside the window. When he looked around, Moran had gone. He resumed possession of his office with a frowning glance about him, and then went out to the pier to inspect the work that had been done on the _Hudson_.