In reply to the demand that the _Friendship_ should be returned, the insolent Rajah told them to take her if they could.

The three ships moved as close to shore as was safe and opened fire with such guns as they had.
All merchant vessels carried some kind of armament against pirates in that part of the world.

Impatient with the delay involved in recapturing the _Friendship_, by attacking at long range, as it may be called, three boats were filled with armed men who rowed straight for the vessel.

It was swarming with armed natives, who kept up a vicious but ill directed fire, the result of which was the sailors rowed the faster, eager to get close enough to punish the miscreants for their murderous work.
When they were almost to the ship the Malays sprang overboard and swam frantically for land.

Captain Endicott regained possession of his vessel, and, upon examination, found it had been rifled from stem to stern.