if (lastEntryIndex == -1) {
          // we need to update the root link from table[]
          tableSet(table, tableIndex, newNext);
        } else {
          // we need to update the link from the chain
          entries[lastEntryIndex] = maskCombine(entries[lastEntryIndex], newNext, mask);
        }

        return entryIndex;
      }
      lastEntryIndex = entryIndex;
      next = getNext(entry, mask);

        if (lastEntryIndex == -1) {
          // we need to update the root link from table[]
          tableSet(table, tableIndex, newNext);
        } else {
          // we need to update the link from the chain
          entries[lastEntryIndex] = maskCombine(entries[lastEntryIndex], newNext, mask);
        }

        return entryIndex;
      }
      lastEntryIndex = entryIndex;
      next = getNext(entry, mask);