for($i = 0, $i < 2, $i++) {

 if($_ == 1) {$chan->write("echo \$PATH\n")}
 else {$chan->write("echo \$HOME\n")}
 select(undef,undef,undef,0.25);

 $chan->read($buf1, $buflen);
 if($buf1) {print "BUF1: ", $buf1, "\n"}
 else {
   print "Empty buffer ... trying again\n";
   --$i;
 }  
}