private long consumeIncomingData() 
	throws IOException {

	InputStream in = this.getSocket().getInputStream();
	int length;
	long total_length = 0;
	byte[] buffer = new byte[256];  // Not too large here
	while( in.available() > 0 
	       && (length = in.read(buffer)) > 0 ) {

	    // Print to stdout?
	    for( int i = 0; i < length; i++ )
		System.out.print( (char)buffer[i] );
  
	    total_length += length; // NOOP (just read)
	}

	if( total_length > 0L )
	    System.out.println( "" );
	    
	return total_length;
    }