code: public Object remove(long key)
  	{
  		if (tc.isEntryEnabled()) Tr.entry(tc, "remove", new Object[]{new Long(key), this});
  		
  		int hash = getHashForExistingEntry(key);	
  		Object result = null;
          
          if (hash >= 0)
          {
              result = _values[hash];
          }
  	
  		if (result != null)
  		{
  			if (tc.isDebugEnabled()) Tr.debug(tc, "Entry found in map - removing");
  			
  			_values[hash] = DELETED;
  			_currentLoad--;
  		}
  		
  		if (tc.isEntryEnabled()) Tr.exit(tc, "remove", result); 	
  		return result;
  	}
docs: Remove the entry from the map that is associated with
  the given key.
  @param key The key associated with the object that is to be removed
  @return The object that has been removed from the map, or null if no object was removed.
  Null can also be returned if the given key was previously associated with a null value.