But he understood types; and his customers were publishers, a wealthy and judicious class, who were not likely all to fail together.

But to select a "Rigdumfunnidos,"-- a dissipated comic-song singer and horse-fancier,--for the head of a publishing concern, was indeed a kind of insanity.

It is told of John Ballantyne, that after the successful negotiation with Constable for _Rob Roy_, and while "hopping up and down in his glee," he exclaimed, "'Is Rob's gun here, Mr.Scott?
Would you object to my trying the old barrel with a _few de joy_ ?' 'Nay, Mr.Puff,' said Scott, 'it would burst and blow you to the devil before your time.' 'Johnny, my man,' said Constable, 'what the mischief puts drawing at sight into _your_ head ?' Scott laughed heartily at this innuendo; and then observing that the little man felt somewhat sore, called attention to the notes of a bird in the adjoining shrubbery.

'And by-the-bye,' said he, as they continued listening, ''tis a long time, Johnny, since we have had "The Cobbler of Kelso."' Mr.Puff forthwith jumped up on a mass of stone, and seating himself in the proper attitude of one working with an awl, began a favourite interlude, mimicking a certain son of Crispin, at whose stall Scott and he had often lingered when they were schoolboys, and a blackbird, the only companion of his cell, that used to sing to him while he talked and whistled to it all day long.

With this performance Scott was always delighted.