1. Three Skeleton Key by George Toudouze

2. hordes
Hordes of rats swarmed towards the frightened men.

3. hordes noun large, moving crowds
Hordes of rats swarmed towards the frightened men.

4. receding
At first the ship came toward us, but then it drifted off in the receding water.

5. receding verb, but used here as an adjective moving back
At first the ship came toward us, but then it drifted off in the receding waters.

6. fathom
The lighthouse keepers couldn’t fathom why the ship sailed so closely to the dangerous coast..

7. fathom verb understand
The lighthouse keepers couldn’t fathom why the ship sailed so closely to the dangerous coast.

8. edible
The rats thought the men were edible.

9. edible
adjective
fit to be eaten
The rats thought the men were edible.

10. derisive
The rats peered with derisive eyes at the terrified men.

11. derisive adjective scornful and ridiculing
The rats peered with derisive eyes at the terrified men.