PUBLIC phys_clicks alloc_mem(clicks)
phys_clicks clicks;
{
  register struct hole *hp, *prev_ptr, *best_hole, *best_prev_ptr;
  unsigned long best_length;
  phys_clicks old_base

  do {
        best_length = 0xFFFFFFFF;

        prev_ptr = NIL_HOLE;
        best_prev_ptr = NIL_HOLE;

        hp = hole_head;
        best_hole = hole_head;

        while (hp != NIL_HOLE && hp->h_base < swap_base) {
                if ((hp->h_len >= clicks) && (hp->h_len <= best_length)) {
                        best_length = hp->h_len;
                        best_hole = hp;
                        best_prev_ptr = prev_ptr;
                }
                
                prev_ptr = hp;
                hp = hp->h_next;

        }

        if(best_length != 0xFFFFFFFF) {
                old_base = best_hole->h_base;
                best_hole->h_base += clicks;

                if(best_hole->h_base > high_watermark) {
                         high_watermark = best_hole->h_base;
                }

                if(best_hole->h_len == 0) del_slot(best_prev_ptr, best_hole);

                return(old_base);
        }


  } while( swap_out() );

  return(NO_MEM);
}