question: final short rlshort ( DataInputStream dis ) throws IOException { short s = 0 ; short high , low ; s = dis . readShort ( ) ; high = ( short ) ( ( s & 0xFF ) << 8 ) ; low = ( short ) ( ( s & 0xFF00 ) > > > 8 ) ; s = ( short ) ( high | low ) ; return s ; }
target:  rlshort Protected helper method to read 16 bits value. Swap high with low byte.