public static short parseShort(byte[] bytes, int start, int length) {
    return parseShort(bytes, start, length, 10);
  }
Parses the string argument as if it was a short value and returns the
result. Throws NumberFormatException if the string does not represent an
short quantity.

@param bytes
@param start
@param length
         a UTF-8 encoded string representation of a short quantity.
@return short the value represented by the argument
@exception NumberFormatException
             if the argument could not be parsed as a short quantity.
serde/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/serde2/lazy/LazyShort.java