}else {
         node_ref curr;
         node_ref new = malloc (sizeof (struct node));
         prev = NULL;
         assert (new != NULL);
         for (curr = head; curr != NULL; curr = curr->link){
            if (curr->item > thenum){break;}
            prev = curr;
         }
         new->item = thenum;
         new->link = curr;
         if (prev == NULL){
            head = new;
         }else{
            prev->link = new;
         }
      }