    # File lib/rubygame/sfont.rb, line 151
        def load_glyph(surface,glyph,start_x) # :doc:
          # find where this glyph starts
          begin
            while(surface.get_at(start_x,0)[0..2] == @skip)
              start_x += 1
            end
          rescue IndexError
            return -1
          end

          end_x = start_x

          # find how wide this glyph is
          begin
            while(surface.get_at(end_x,0)[0..2] != @skip)
              end_x += 1
            end
          rescue IndexError
            return -1
          end

          # make a new surface for the glyph and blit the image onto it
          rect = Rect.new(start_x, 0, end_x-start_x, surface.h)
          @glyphs[glyph] = Surface.new(rect.size)
          surface.blit(@glyphs[glyph],[0,0],rect)

          return end_x+1
        end