code: public int read()
      throws IOException
    {
      int ch1 = is.read();
      int ch2 = is.read();
  
      if (ch2 < 0)
        return -1;
  
      return (ch1 << 8) + ch2;
    }
docs: Reads into a character buffer using the correct encoding.
  
  @return the next character or -1 on end of file.