diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/RowRecord.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/RowRecord.java
index 29e701bc1f..fcf3f0edf4 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/RowRecord.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/RowRecord.java
@@ -258,8 +258,8 @@ public class RowRecord
     }
 
     /**
-     * get the logical col number for the last cell this row (0 based index)
-     * @return col - the col number
+     * get the logical col number for the last cell this row plus one (0 based index)
+     * @return col - the last col number + 1
      */
 
     public short getLastCol()
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java
index ae994a2845..917ff86342 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ public class HSSFRow
 
     /**
      * get the number of the first cell contained in this row.
-     * @return short representing the first logical cell in the row
+     * @return short representing the first logical cell in the row, or -1 if the row does not contain any cells.
      */
 
     public short getFirstCellNum()
@@ -287,8 +287,8 @@ public class HSSFRow
     }
 
     /**
-     * get the number of the last cell contained in this row.
-     * @return short representing the last logical cell in the row
+     * gets the number of the last cell contained in this row <b>PLUS ONE</b>. 
+     * @return short representing the last logical cell in the row <b>PLUS ONE</b>, or -1 if the row does not contain any cells.
      */
 
     public short getLastCellNum()