Huck's adaptability and self-sufficiency

Huck Finn has been seen in a variety of situations. So far he's interacted with his father, Miss Watson, boys in the "gang", the widow, and Jim. He has also shown his ability to exist alone, and how self-sufficient he is. Whichever situation he finds himself in, Huck always manages to survive and protect himself. He is a very thoughtful and considerate boy. When he was trying to escape from Pap’s cabin he works at it little by little, when he sneaks out he plans and watches his tracks, and when he lives by himself he plans hard to keep himself hidden. “I made fast to a willow; then I took a bite to eat, and by and by laid down in the canoe to smoke a pope and lay out a plan” (47). My only question is “isn’t he worried that the smoke from his pipe will be seen?” He is worried about his tracks being seen, “It was all grass clear to the canoe, so I hadn’t left a track” (45). Huck also lives with a father who doesn’t think him to be self-sufficient. When Huck falls asleep next to the gun and his father finds him, and then questions him as to why. Huck’s response is that he heard something, and he knows that if that were actually to be the case he could defend himself. His father doesn’t realize that Huck made up the story but he doesn’t think that Huck would be able to defend himself, “Another time a man comes a-prowling round here you roust me out, you hear?” (44) Pap would have no faith in Huck, no faith at all with his being self-sufficient. From what we’ve read so far all acts made by Huck point to the contrary. They show him being a self-sufficient boy, one who would be able to confront any situation dealt to him and come out on the other side alive.