diff -r 31a43d94cc26 -r 8e3ae153e2c9 src/Hash.cpp
--- a/src/Hash.cpp	Sun Sep 20 15:14:12 2009 -0700
+++ b/src/Hash.cpp	Thu Sep 24 10:28:50 2009 -0700
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
              _value(value) 
         { }
         
-        Key key() const                             {return _key;}
+        const Key& key() const                      {return _key;}
         HashCode hash() const                       {return _key.hash;}
         Hash::Value value() const                   {return _key.bytes ?_value :NULL;}
         void setValue (Hash::Value value)           {_value = value;}
@@ -50,8 +50,7 @@
     }
     
     Hash::IndexEntry& Hash::_find (Key key) const {
-        Key k = Key(key);
-        IndexEntry newEntry(k);
+        IndexEntry newEntry(key);
         int index = newEntry.hash() % _tableSize;
         IndexEntry *found = &_table[index];
         int probe = 0;
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@
     }
     
     void Hash::put(Key key, Hash::Value value) {
-        IndexEntry newEntry = IndexEntry(Key(key),value);
+        IndexEntry newEntry = IndexEntry(key,value);
         IndexEntry &found = _findForPut(newEntry);
         if (found.hasValue())
             found.setValue(value);
@@ -90,15 +89,16 @@
         }
     }
     
-    bool Hash::remove(Key key) {
+    Hash::Value Hash::remove(Key key) {
         IndexEntry &entry = _find(key);
-        if (!entry.value())
-            return false;
+        Value formerValue = entry.value();
+        if (!formerValue)
+            return NULL;
         entry.markDeleted();
         _count--;
         if (_count/(float)_tableSize < Dictionary::kMinLoadFactor)
             _resize(_tableSize/2);
-        return true;
+        return formerValue;
     }
         
     void Hash::removeAll() {
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@
     void Hash::dump() const {
         for (int index=0; index<_tableSize; index++)
             if (_table[index].hasValue()) {
-                Blob key = _table[index].key();
+                const Key &key = _table[index].key();
                 printf("%3i: %*s -> %p\n", 
                        index, (int)key.length,(const char*)key.bytes, _table[index].value());
             }