sub timeout {
    my ( $package, $timeout, $code ) = @_;

    my $result;
    eval {
        local $SIG{ALRM} = sub { die "alarm\n" };    # NB: \n required
        alarm $timeout;
        $result = $code->();
        alarm 0;
    };
    if ($@) {
        die "Could not make $package: $@" unless $@ eq "alarm\n";    # propagate unexpected errors
                                       # timed out
    }
    return $result;
}

timeout( $package, 10, sub {`perl $make_prog 2>&1`} );