How to get the actual integer value from an array list

Question

I am using an ArrayList of ArrayLists for a data structure to play a game of towers of hanoi. The game is constructed and initialized as follows:

private ArrayList<ArrayList> lists = new ArrayList<ArrayList>();
private ArrayList<Integer> peg1 = new ArrayList<Integer>();
private ArrayList<Integer> peg2 = new ArrayList<Integer>();
private ArrayList<Integer> peg3 = new ArrayList<Integer>();


//Constructor
public TowersOfHanoi() {

   lists.add(null);
   lists.add(peg1);
   lists.add(peg2);
   lists.add(peg3);
}

public ArrayList initializeGame(int n) {

    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        peg1.add(i+1);
    }

        return peg1;
    }
}

I am trying to use a Boolean method to do a check and make sure the user doesn't try to move a larger disc on top of a smaller disc, however, I don't understand how I would grab the the integer value stored in the arrayList. The integer values should serve as a way to gauge the diameter of the discs. I.E. 1 is smaller than two is smaller than 3 etc. This is the code I have come up with... I believe I am just getting the indexes and not the actual values of the integers stored there. How can I get the actual values?

public boolean isMoveLegal(int moveFrom, int moveTo){

  ArrayList<Integer> fromPeg = lists.get(moveFrom);
  int x = (fromPeg.remove(0)).intValue();

  ArrayList<Integer> toPeg = lists.get(moveTo);
  int y = (toPeg.get(0)).compareTo(x);

  if(x<y){

     System.out.println("illegal move");
  }

  return false;
}

Answer 1

This,

int y = (toPeg.get(0)).compareTo(x);

should be something like

int y = (toPeg.size() > 0) ? toPeg.get(0).intValue() : -1;

Then you can use

if (x > y) { // <-- the reverse of like you were, because the to peg is y.