The Social Cancer, by José Rizal - Home

CHAPTER LXI 284
"It's getting between us and the shore," observed Elias uneasily.
Gradually he changed the course of his banka, rowing toward Binangonan. To his great surprise he noticed
that the boat also changed its course, while a voice called to him.
Elias stopped rowing and reflected. The shore was still far away and they would soon be within range of the
rifles on the police boat. He thought of returning to Pasig, for his banka was the swifter of the two boats, but
unluckily he saw another boat coming from the river and made out the gleam of caps and bayonets of the Civil
Guard.
"We're caught!" he muttered, turning pale.
He gazed at his robust arms and, adopting the only course left, began to row with all his might toward Talim
Island, just as the sun was rising.
The banka slipped rapidly along. Elias saw standing on the boat, which had veered about, some men making
signals to him.
"Do you know how to manage a banka?" he asked Ibarra.
"Yes, why?"
"Because we are lost if I don't jump into the water and throw them off the track. They will pursue me, but I
swim and dive well. I'll draw them away from you and then you can save yourself."
"No, stay here, and we'll sell our lives dearly!"
"That would be useless. We have no arms and with their rifles they would shoot us down like birds."
At that instant the water gave forth a hiss such as is caused by the falling of hot metal into it, followed
instantaneously by a loud report.
"You see!" said Elias, placing the paddle in the boat. "We'll see each other on Christmas Eve at the tomb of
your grandfather. Save yourself."
"And you?"
"God has carried me safely through greater perils."
As Elias took off his camisa a bullet tore it from his hands and two loud reports were heard. Calmly he
clasped the hand of Ibarra, who was still stretched out in the bottom of the banka. Then he arose and leaped
into the water, at the same time pushing the little craft away from him with his foot.
Cries resounded, and soon some distance away the youth's head appeared, as if for breathing, then instantly
disappeared.
"There, there he is!" cried several voices, and again the bullets whistled.
The police boat and the boat from the Pasig now started in pursuit of him. A light track indicated his passage
through the water as he drew farther and farther away from Ibarra's banka, which floated about as if
abandoned. Every time the swimmer lifted his head above the water to breathe, the guards in both boats shot
at him.