Joel Harrison Knox Timeline and Summary

Joel gets a ride to Noon City, where he meets Idabel, and later takes a ride to Skully's Landing, his new home.
Unable to find his father anywhere, Joel visits Idabel and her sister, Florabel, and realizes that his letters asking for help have been intercepted.
Joel finally learns that his father is paralyzed and stays in bed all day, and begins reading to him and feeding him.
Sick of the craziness, Joel decides to run away with Idabel, but he chickens out when he's trapped in a rainstorm and gets very sick.
After he recovers from his illness, Joel goes out to visit a hermit with Randolph. When he returns he finds out that it was a ruse to keep him away during his Aunt Ellen's visit.
Joel realizes that there's no escape for him, and accepts his new life.