"Have you seen cattle actually drinking that water?"
"I dunno' as I have. I've seen 'em standing in it."
"Animals have remarkable subjective intelligence--what you would term instincts. It would be extremely interesting to determine whether such instincts have prevented them from drinking water unfit for animal consumption."
"Unfit for animal consumption? By gosh, that's what killed our cow, I reckon! We found her lyin' by the spring, cold an' stiff, two days ago!"
"Have you buried the carcass?"
"Not much. Turkey-buzzards attend to our cow funerals."
"Of course. You look excited, my friend."
"I am. We've lost other cattle and colts in this yere pasture."
"Ah!" murmured the Professor. His expression became benignant.
"We s'posed," continued Uncle Jake, "that they died o' old age."