code: public int get(Object key)
    {
      if (key == null)
        key = NULL_KEY;
  
      int hash = key.hashCode() & _mask;
  
      for (Item item = _entries[hash]; item != null; item = item._next) {
        Object itemKey = item._key;
        
        if (itemKey == key || itemKey.equals(key))
          return item._value;
      }
  
      return NULL;
    }
docs: Puts a new value in the property table with the appropriate flags