Because recursion is always the answer.
function getPosition(input, search, nth, curr, cnt) {
curr = curr || 0;
cnt = cnt || 0;
var index = input.indexOf(search);
if (curr === nth) {
if (~index) {
return cnt;
}
else {
return -1;
}
}
else {
if (~index) {
return getPosition(input.slice(index + search.length),
search,
nth,
++curr,
cnt + index + search.length);
}
else {
return -1;
}
}
}