# usage: build_index(*DATA_HANDLE, *INDEX_HANDLE)
    sub build_index {
        my $data_file  = shift;
        my $index_file = shift;
        my $offset     = 0;

        while (<$data_file>) {
            print $index_file pack("N", $offset);
            $offset = tell($data_file);
        }
    }

    # usage: line_with_index(*DATA_HANDLE, *INDEX_HANDLE, $LINE_NUMBER)
    # returns line or undef if LINE_NUMBER was out of range
    sub line_with_index {
        my $data_file   = shift;
        my $index_file  = shift;
        my $line_number = shift;

        my $size;               # size of an index entry
        my $i_offset;           # offset into the index of the entry
        my $entry;              # index entry
        my $d_offset;           # offset into the data file

        $size = length(pack("N", 0));
        $i_offset = $size * ($line_number-1);
        seek($index_file, $i_offset, 0) or return;
        read($index_file, $entry, $size);
        $d_offset = unpack("N", $entry);
        seek($data_file, $d_offset, 0);
        return scalar(<$data_file>);
    }

use Config qw( %Config );
my $off_t = $Config{lseeksize} > $Config{ivsize} ? 'F' : 'j';

...
print $index_file pack($off_t, $offset);
...