private final int compare(Comparable item,RedBlackNode t){
  if (t == header)   return 1;
 else   return item.compareTo(t.element);
}

private final int compare ( Comparable item , RedBlackNode t ) { if ( t == header ) return 1 ; else return item . compareTo ( t . element ) ; }
compare item and t . element , using compareto , with caveat that if t is header , then item is always larger . this routine is called if is possible that t is header . if it is not possible for t to be header , use compareto directly .
