question: public int put ( Object key , int value ) { if ( key == null ) key = NULL_KEY ; synchronized ( this ) { int hash = key . hashCode ( ) & _mask ; for ( Item item = _entries [ hash ] ; item != null ; item = item . _next ) { Object testKey = item . _key ; if ( testKey == key || testKey . equals ( key ) ) { int oldValue = item . _value ; item . _value = value ; return oldValue ; } } Item item = new Item ( key , value ) ; item . _next = _entries [ hash ] ; _entries [ hash ] = item ; _size ++ ; } return NULL ; }
target:  Puts a new value in the property table with the appropriate flags