Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a start; thus make a puff and dart v., to begin, to make a start.

1880		D.W. Barrett Life and Work among Navvies 42: When applied to by the ‘ganger,’ he would announce his willingness to ‘make a puff and dart’ (start) in the morning.
1931		Eve. Standard 19 Aug. in DSUE (1984).