unction (index) {
                    index.sort(function (itemLeft, itemRight) {
                      if (itemRight.position !== itemLeft.position) {
                        return itemRight.position - itemLeft.position;
                      } else {
                        return itemLeft.word.length - itemRight.word.length;
                      }
                    });
                  });

                  // merge hits into slices

                  function mergeIntoSlice(text, start, end, index