 Why was Charley so interested in the Minnow?
Illustrated by Schoenherr The wind howled out of the northwest, blind with snow and barbed with ice crystals. We were able to show them our sun, in their telescopes. People who talk English, drink beer, like jokes and beat me at chess or table-tennis are people for my money, even if they look like tigers in trousers. Of course it's a screwy situation, playing chess with something that grows its own fur coat, has yellow eyes an inch and a half long and long white whiskers. He was called—well, we called him Charley, and he was the ethnologist, ambassador, contact man, or whatever you like to call him, who came back with us.
 He wants to learn enough to pull an elaborate prank
 He has been sent to steal the technological secrets  His species does not have space travel and he wants to learn from the humans  They do not have similar wildlife on his planet  He wants to learn enough to pull an elaborate prank