return readShort() & 0xffff;
    }

    /**
     * Reads a Windows FILETIME value and converts it to a Date.
     * @return the Date object, or null if the time represents infinity
     * @throws IOException if an I/O error occurs
     */
    public Date readFiletime() throws IOException {
        Date date = null;

        final long last = readUnsignedInt();