if (VM.VerifyAssertions) VM.assert(the_mark != null);
if (VM.VerifyAssertions) VM._assert(the_mark != null);
  protected boolean build_list (VM_BlockControl the_block, VM_SizeControl the_size) throws VM_PragmaUninterruptible {    byte[] the_mark = the_block.mark;    int first_free = 0, i = 0, j;    VM_Address current, next;        if (VM.VerifyAssertions && the_mark == null) {      VM.sysWriteln("mark = ", VM_Magic.objectAsAddress(the_mark));      VM.sysWriteln("size = ", GC_SIZEVALUES[the_size.ndx]);    }    if (VM.VerifyAssertions) VM.assert(the_mark != null);    for (; i < the_mark.length ; i++) {      if (the_mark[i] == 0) break;    }