question: public int remove ( Object key ) { if ( key == null ) key = NULL_KEY ; int hash = key . hashCode ( ) & _mask ; synchronized ( this ) { Item prev = null ; for ( Item item = _entries [ hash ] ; item != null ; item = item . _next ) { Object itemKey = item . _key ; if ( itemKey == key || itemKey . equals ( key ) ) { int oldValue = item . _value ; if ( prev != null ) prev . _next = item . _next ; else _entries [ hash ] = item . _next ; _size -- ; return oldValue ; } prev = item ; } } return NULL ; }
target:  Deletes the entry.  Returns true if successful.