diff -ur highlight-2.4.4.old/highlight/codegenerator.cpp highlight-2.4.4/highlight/codegenerator.cpp
--- highlight-2.4.4.old/highlight/codegenerator.cpp	2006-02-19 09:11:18.000000000 -0800
+++ highlight-2.4.4/highlight/codegenerator.cpp	2006-02-19 09:11:18.000000000 -0800
@@ -284,7 +284,11 @@
 
 bool CodeGenerator::readNewLine(string &newLine){
   bool eof;
-  terminatingChar=newLine[lineIndex-1];
+  if (lineIndex > 0) {
+    terminatingChar=newLine[lineIndex-1];
+  } else {
+    terminatingChar = '\0';
+  }
   if (formattingPossible && formattingEnabled) {
      eof=!formatter->hasMoreLines();
      if (!eof) {